\ Visualizing Evolution: A History of Paleontology Illustration

Wednesday, July 2, 2008

A History of Paleontology Illustration

This is definitely one for my collection: A History of Paleontology Illustration! It's the new book out by Jane P. Davidson, Professor of Art History at the University of Nevada, Reno. And it's available on Amazon.
The book covers depictions of fossils, restorations of plants and animals, and ecological restorations in painting, drawing, sculpture, and in display restorations such as dioramas. Although the main subject of the book is scientific illustration, it also delves into "popular" illustrations such as those found in children's textbooks, popular introductions to paleontology and geology, museum and other public displays, and film.
Very intriguing! I will let you know when my copy gets here.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Yeah! I've heard about that recent publication (the author posted it on the vertpaleo listserv). I was going to wait until the October SVP meeting, when some of the publishers show up to sell their books with a discount, but that Amazon price is too good to pass up (even if they are out of stock), so I think I'll order one now.

I recently found an immaculate copy of The Giant Golden Book of Dinosaurs online, and I am thrilled to have Rudolph Zallinger's gorgeous if inaccurate illustrations. I think I must have had a copy of it when I was little...

http://homepage.mac.com/doubtboy/GiantGolden.html

D. (still writing my Ianthasaurus thesis...)