Sea Creatures in Glass Exhibition at the Harvard Museum of Natural History
Harvard Museum of Natural History
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Many years before they were commissioned by Harvard University to make the “Glass Flowers,” father and son artists Leopold and Rudolph Blaschka, meticulously shaped glass and wire into lifelike models of marine animals. Renowned for their beauty and exacting detail, the Blaschka marine invertebrate models were commissioned by universities and museums throughout world during the 19th century. On Friday, March 20, 2008, the Harvard Museum of Natural History will open Sea Creatures in Glass. This new exhibition features 60 of these spectacular glass animals – some never before on public display – taken from Harvard’s collection of over 400 models. Delicate jellyfish and anemones, tentacled squid, bizarre sea slugs (nudibranchs), and other soft-bodied sea creatures captured in glass are a sparkling testament to the Blaschka legacy. Combined with video, real scientific specimens, a recreation of the Blaschka’s studio, and a rich assortment of memorabilia, these invertebrate models offer intriguing insights into the history, personality, and artistry of the extraordinary men who created them.