Botanical part of Ehrenberg's great "Symbolae physicae" 1900

Christian Gottfried Ehrenberg

PaperWatercolour
Currently unavailable via Gallerease

• About the artwork
  Symbolae physicae seu icones adhuc inedetae.
  Berlin, Georg Reimer, 1900. Large folio. With 24 engraved and lithographed plates, 23 finely coloured by hand, printed in the second quarter of the 19th century, but issued here for the first time. Text and plates loose as issued in original printed grey portfolio.
  
  Very rare and complete botanical section of Ehrenberg's great Symbolae physicae. The plates depict the specimens collected by Ehrenberg and Friedrich Wilhelm Hemprich on their expedition to North Africa and western Asia from 1820 to 1825 (Hemprich died during the journey). The fine plates were drawn by Bartusch, Ehrenberg, Finzi, Roch and Röthig, and executed by Fink, Röthig, Weber and Wienker.
  A fine copy of this scarce botanical report. Printed on fine wove paper, wholly untrimmed and in the original printed portfolio with the title on the front in an elaborate border and a list of the first 10 plates on the back.
  Junk, Rara, p. 138; Nissen, BBI 582; Stafleu & Cowan 1643.
• About the artist
  Christian Gottfried Ehrenberg (1795, Delitzsch – 1876, Berlin) was a German biologist, scientific explorer and founder of micropaleontology, i.e. the study of fossil microorganisms. He finished his study at the University of Berlin in 1818 and was associated with the university throughout his career. He participated in a scientific expedition to Egypt, Libya, Sudan from 1820 to 1825.
  
  Along with Von Humbold he participated in a journey to Central Asia and Siberia in 1829, which expedition was sponsored by Tsar Nicholas I. Ehrenberg believed that all animals (small or large) possess complete organ systems. His most important works include Reisen in Aegypten, Libyen, Nubien und Dongula (1828; Travels in Egypt, Libya, Nubia and Dongola) and Die Infusionstierchen als volkommene Organismen (1838; The Infusiora as complete organisms).