Wildlife in Art

paul m · #1 (**permalink**) 31-05-2007, 06:58 AM

I think I started a thread (can't find it now) about the lack of depictions of insects in human art - the only example I've found being a cicad:

Thought it might be interesting to have a general thread about animals and plants in painting, architecture, illustration ....

Also, anyone in Scotland might be interested in the exhibition:
Royal Collection - Amazing Rare Things

stirling · #2 (**permalink**) 20-08-2007, 01:29 PM

Think the egyptians had some paul,not sure though.

paul m · #3 (**permalink**) 12-11-2007, 04:31 PM

One old school of art is that of the Minoan civilisation of ancient Crete and surrounding islands. This is a nice bit of fresco using only plants and birds (swallows?):

PS: it's in the Archaeological Museum in Athens.

goosey · #4 (**permalink**) 16-01-2008, 12:49 PM

This piece of modern art is at the Whinlatter visitors centre in the Lake District.
It celebrates the return of Ospreys to the area in the summer for breeding. A modern interpretation but I think it's great, and shows the importance of this wonderful bird.

paul m · #5 (**permalink**) 18-02-2008, 07:56 AM

I've long wondered why the civic centre of Newcastle (Northumbria, UK) is surmounted by rings of seahorse heads - as yesterday in the grey light of dawn:

Certainly Tyneside was a ship-building area and Newcastle had quays but it is quite inland. Apparently seahorses are the supporters at the side of the arms of Newcastle.

Looking into this it seems that the University of Newcastle in Australia also has a sort of seahorse on its arms:

University of Newcastle, Australia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Fascinating thing heraldry. Usually, though, most of the animals, other than lions, are mythological beasts.

ozwildlife · #6 (**permalink**) 18-02-2008, 09:44 AM

An interesting piece of insect art - a large cicada sculpture photographed outside the Cultural Centre in Brisbane

Photograph by Cyron, Creative Commons - Some rights reserved

goosey · #7 (**permalink**) 18-02-2008, 10:08 AM

That really impressive - modern art isn't really my thing but I really like that. It puts me in mind of a Viking helmet more than a fly though - wonder what that says about me.

paul m · #8 (**permalink**) 18-02-2008, 11:28 AM

That's great - they've managed to catch the 'leatheriness' of the wings.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ozwildlife

An interesting piece of insect art - a large cicada sculpture photographed outside the Cultural Centre in Brisbane

Photograph by Cyron, Creative Commons - Some rights reserved

The silliest one I've seen?

paul m · #9 (**permalink**) 17-04-2008, 06:55 PM

Not quite appropriate for this thread but there is a programme on (UK) BBC4 tonight (may well go out all over the world) about the 'Mediaeval Mind' - the way that people a millennium ago believed in things we would find incomprehensible. I'm particularly hoping that they deal with unicorns, gryphons and other legendary beasts.
These fascinate me: were people misinterpreting (e.g. fossil finds or did they make some of these animals up? And why are lions so commonly depicted in NW European art/heraldry/sculpture when there have been no lions in these areas in historical times.

Worth a try, anyway .....
BBC - BBC Four - The Medieval Season - Inside the Medieval Mind

mtngoat · #10 (**permalink**) 17-04-2008, 11:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by paul m

I think I started a thread (can't find it now) about the lack of depictions of insects in human art - the only example I've found being a cicad:

hihi old boy, dinnae give u'p 'ope yet! I founded summat in me old hatbox called me brain!

http://www.insecta-inspecta.com/art/index.html