Research: Design in Nature
Today we are featuring insect plates from Research:
Design in Nature, edited by John
Gilbert Wilkins, published by the Field Museum of Natural History and
the School
of the Art Institute Chicago in 1924. The portfolio features over 200
leaves of plates that were printed in the Field Museum pressroom. The drawings
featured in the plates were created by many different artists, including some
of Wilkins’ students. The plates are photogravures, and Wilkins notes that “it
is possibly the best method of reproducing the soft pleasing effects of the
pencil renderings.”
Research: Design
in Nature includes a wide variety of plant and animal drawings, highlighting
the design elements that can be found in nature. Today we are focusing on
insects because they show both the horrifying and beautiful aspects of the
natural world.
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decorative arts and pattern books.
–Sarah, Special Collections Graduate Assistant