Asterolampra eximia pendant ~ 35mm (1&1/3 inch)

~ Asterolampra eximia pendant ~ 35mm.

From Haeckel's "Art Forms of Nature".

This 35mm (1.4 inch) high pendant is based on one of the detailed, but somewhat idealised renderings, (the drawing was no doubt achieved by acute & patient observation peering through a microscope) - at the lower left of plate 4 of Haeckel's "Art Forms...". Asterolampra eximia is a diatom - a type of protozoa (unicellular plant-like organism). The pendant would look great printed in silver & glossy silver - & also in antique bronze glossy, gold plated brass, gold plated glossy & antique bronze glossy - but would also suit transparent detail, polished alumide & possibly stainless steel. It has a 2mm hole at the top for a ring for a cord or thin chain to thread through. The model was created using 'box' polygon-modeling techniques utilising 2D drawings or images only as reference, & this one has just under 1 million polygons to hold the detail in the painstakingly drawn vector displacement map.

Professor Ernst Haeckel (pronounced Heckel) was a German biologist, philosopher & artist. A contemporary of Darwin, he held similar theoretical views on evolution & natural selection (he also coined the term 'ecology' amongst many other things). His masterwork 'Kunstformen der Natur' (Art Forms of Nature), a collection of 100 plates - meticulous drawings of life forms - was published in 1904. A pdf file is available here http://caliban.mpiz-koeln.mpg.de/haeckel/kunstformen/natur.html, & is in the public domain. It is thought to be influential on the Art Nouveau movement & remains an iconic work of 'science/art fusion'.

Designed by Orbyt in Auckland, New Zealand - 3D models inspired by art forms in nature are available through the orbytnz Shapeways shop...

Please note that as the 3D printed pendant is delivered directly from Shapeways it does not include a jump-ring, or a cord or chain - it's just the pendant by itself. ~ right click in the youtube window & click 'loop' ~