Sarsia siphonophora II (B 657)

Sarsia siphonophora (B 657) II 
2012 watercolour 
(ca 55 x 75 cm)

The previous entry showed a detail of the colony building jellyfish species Sarsia siphonophora.

In this blog I present an impression of the complete animal.
This image is of course not true to life: everything (shapes, curls, colours) is exagerated for great effect.

Haeckel, 1879

In Ernst Haeckel's  
Das System der Medusen
(publ.: Jena: Gustav Fischer, 1879)
the real preparatory material is found on Plate 1, figure 4.

Sarsia siphonophora

Sarsia siphonophora, detail study. 2012 watercolour (29 x 21.5 cm)

Sarsia siphonophora is another colony building jellyfish species. The study presented here shows a detail.  

Apolemia uvaria (B 201)

The Blaschka glass model 201, portraying Apolemia uvaria, was based on a figure printed in one of Carl Gegenbaur's articles: "Beiträge zur näheren Kenntniss der Schwimmpolypen (Siphonophoren)", published in: Zeitschrift für wissenschaftliche Zoologie, Band 5. (pp 285-344. Taf. XVIII, Fig. 1). This journal was published in 1854. His illustration shows a young individual of this siphonophore species. Blaschka copied the image, translated it into glass, and a copy of this model was sold to the University in Liège. This in turn served as  an example for this study in watercolour. 

Apolemia uvaria (B 201), 2012 watercolour (42x29,7 cm)

Go to my blog entry on Praya cymbiformis (B215) to read more on the influence of Gegenbauer on Blaschka glass model making. 

MONDO VETRO - histoires naturelles

14 September - 31 december 2012
the exhibition
MONDO VETRO - histoires naturelles
works by the master glass worker
Vittorio Costantini

will be on show in
Musée d'Opale Sud
60 Rue de l'impératrice
62600 Berck-sur-Mer
France

Three Graces

Three Graces,  watercolour 2011 (c. 18 x 28 cm) 

In May 2001, I pictured the Graces individually. Here, a study that includes all three.

The squid Loligopsis Veranii II

 Loligopsis Veranii (B. 564), watercolour 2011 (c. 42 x 30 cm)

November 30, 2011 I blogged the squid Loligopsis Veranii. Then I wanted to retry the subject in a dotted style. This is more similar to how it  was originally done in 1851 by Jean Baptiste Vérany, published his “Mollusques méditeranéens” (plate # 38). 

Oil on panel

Jellyfish, oil on panel,  100 x 100 cm (2012)

I wanted a painting of a specific size for a special place on my wall. In that sense, I needed a piece of furniture, to blend in with its environment. Here it is.

The painting in its natural environment