Marine Geometry in Green – Ernst Haeckel Jellyfish Diptych, Original 1879 Lithographs

Marine Geometry in Green: Haeckel’s Hidden Elegance

This refined curated diptych brings together two original lithographs from Ernst Haeckel’s monumental scientific masterpiece Das System der Medusen (1879) — works that reveal a quieter and more architectural side of Haeckel’s marine imagination.

Printed in delicate shades of green and bearing the important plate credit “E. Haeckel del.”, these lithographs were created during Haeckel’s direct scientific observation of jellyfish morphology. Far from decorative reinterpretations, they are authentic nineteenth-century visual studies in which scientific precision unexpectedly approaches modern design.

A Curated Pair of Rare Green Medusae Plates

Together, these two plates create an unusually balanced visual dialogue between flowing marine forms and almost geometric biological structures. The diptych combines the ethereal transparency of floating medusae with the sculptural symmetry of marine anatomy, forming a remarkably cohesive museum-grade ensemble.

• Taf. XIII – Octorchis
• Taf. XXII – Lucernaria

Visual and Interior Presence

Unlike the more dramatic chromatic intensity often associated with Haeckel’s marine imagery, this pairing possesses an understated elegance. The soft monochromatic green palette creates a calm, intellectual atmosphere, making the suite particularly suitable for a collector’s study, contemporary interiors, natural history libraries, wellness spaces or refined design-led environments.

Displayed together, the plates evoke the feeling of a nineteenth-century scientific cabinet reinterpreted through a contemporary aesthetic lens.

Condition Report

Printed on original nineteenth-century paper and preserved in very good antique condition. Minor age-related toning, occasional spotting and gentle signs of handling may be present, consistent with authentic scientific lithographs of this period. Please examine the photographs carefully, as each sheet retains its own individual antique character.

Details

• Work: Das System der Medusen
• Artist / Author: Ernst Haeckel
• Plate credit: “E. Haeckel del.”
• Date: 1879
• Technique: Original 19th-century lithographs
• Publisher: Gustav Fischer, Jena
• Lithography: Lith. Anst. v. F. Giltsch, Jena
• Included plates: Taf. XIII – Octorchis; Taf. XXII – Lucernaria
• Sheet size: approx. 35 × 27.5 cm each
• Sold as: Curated suite of two original lithographs