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Original 1879 lithograph from Ernst Haeckel's Das System der Medusen, depicting Pericolpa and related Peromedusae forms. A refined marine study combining biological symmetry, architectural structure and delicate golden tones.
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Original engravings from the 17th–19th century.
This original lithograph from Ernst Haeckel’s monumental scientific work Das System der Medusen (1879) presents the remarkable marine organism Pericolpa, a member of the Peromedusae. Executed with exceptional precision and bearing the important plate credit “E. Haeckel del.”, the composition reveals the extraordinary intersection between biological observation and visual design that characterises Haeckel’s finest work.
Unlike the flowing tentacles and organic movement often associated with jellyfish imagery, this plate focuses on internal structure, radial organisation and anatomical symmetry. The result is a composition that feels almost architectural, transforming a marine organism into a study of form, balance and geometry.
Haeckel arranges multiple views and anatomical sections around a powerful central motif, allowing the viewer to understand the organism both scientifically and visually. The carefully balanced composition highlights the internal organisation of the medusa while preserving a striking decorative quality.
The restrained palette of warm ivory, soft ochre and delicate sepia further enhances the plate’s sense of refinement, making it one of the most architecturally sophisticated images within Das System der Medusen.
This lithograph possesses a calm intellectual elegance. Its radial geometry, symmetrical structures and subtle colouring make it particularly suitable for studies, libraries, contemporary interiors and collections focused on the dialogue between science, design and natural history.
Displayed individually, it functions almost as a nineteenth-century architectural drawing inspired by nature — a rare example of scientific illustration approaching the visual language of modern design.
Discover more about Ernst Haeckel, his marine studies and the visual world behind his extraordinary jellyfish plates in our editorial feature:
Ernst Haeckel and the Beauty of Jellyfish
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 impression retains its own individual antique character.
Specific References
An original 1879 lithograph by Ernst Haeckel from Das System der Medusen, depicting the remarkable anatomy of Cubomedusae (box jellyfish). Combining scientific precision with striking architectural symmetry, this authentic nineteenth-century plate reveals the hidden biological structures behind one of the ocean’s most fascinating marine organisms.
A rare curated suite of three original 1879 lithographs by Ernst Haeckel, bringing together medusae later visually echoed in his iconic Kunstformen der Natur. A museum-grade grouping combining scientific beauty, early marine illustration and exceptional decorative presence.
Original 1879 lithograph from Ernst Haeckel's Das System der Medusen, depicting Collaspis jellyfish with extraordinary anatomical precision. A refined scientific composition centered on radial symmetry and marine morphology.
A refined curated diptych of two original 1879 lithographs by Ernst Haeckel from Das System der Medusen, printed in delicate monochromatic green and bearing the plate credit “E. Haeckel del.” Combining marine geometry with scientific precision, these authentic nineteenth-century jellyfish studies create an unusually elegant visual ensemble for collectors, interiors and natural history enthusiasts.
Original 1879 lithograph from Ernst Haeckel's Das System der Medusen, depicting Linantha and Linerges jellyfish in a refined pale-blue palette. A striking combination of scientific precision, marine symmetry and decorative elegance.
A refined pair of original 19th-century jellyfish lithographs by Ernst Haeckel, selected from Das System der Medusen (1879). Rendered in delicate monochrome cyan tones, these scientific plates reveal the hidden geometry of marine life with remarkable decorative elegance. A striking museum-quality ensemble for interiors inspired by science, design and natural history.
An original 1879 lithograph by Ernst Haeckel from Das System der Medusen, depicting the remarkable forms of the Narcomedusae. Combining delicate pink, coral and golden tones with extraordinary scientific precision, this authentic nineteenth-century marine study reveals why Haeckel's jellyfish imagery later became one of the defining visual inspirations of Art Nouveau.
An original 1879 lithograph by Ernst Haeckel from Das System der Medusen, depicting the extraordinary anatomy of Chirodropus, one of the most remarkable Cubomedusae. Combining scientific precision, monumental scale and elegant nineteenth-century lithographic craftsmanship, this authentic marine study reveals the hidden architecture of one of nature’s most complex jellyfish forms.