Art and Science of the Crystal Palace Dinosaurs

by Ellinor Michel, Mark P Witton

Overview

The Crystal Palace Dinosaurs, a series of thirty-seven incredible sculptures of prehistoric animals and geological displays, were unveiled to the public as part of the famous Crystal Palace Park in 1854. The display, which includes iconic depictions of rhinoceros-like dinosaurs, regal extinct mammals, serpentine marine reptiles and giant, frog-like amphibians, captured a snapshot of palaeontology from a golden era of scientific discovery in the mid-nineteenth century. Today, they are internationally recognized as a milestone in our portrayals of extinct life. This book celebrates these classic scientific artworks and explores: their history, their conception as a wider part of the Crystal Palace project, their execution using unorthodox building materials, their reception by nineteenth century and modern critics, and their enduring mysteries. Hundreds of historic and modern photos and original paintings show modern scientific visions of the extinct animals restored. Written in collaboration with and in support of the Friends of Crystal Palace Dinosaurs charity, this superb book gives the most detailed and complete history of these world-famous sculptures yet, reinforcing their status as masterworks of education and palaeoartistry.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780719840500
Publisher:	Crowood Press, The
Publication date:	05/23/2022
Sold by:	Bookwire
Format:	eBook
Pages:	192
File size:	45 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Ellinor Michel is an evolutionary biologist, ecologist and taxonomist at the Natural History Museum, London. Her work extends to palaeoclimates and scientific nomenclature. It was her interest in the history and philosophy of science that led her to co-found and chair the Friends of Crystal Palace Dinosaurs. The Dinosaurs have been a gateway to the wondrous ideas of Deep Time and to teaching us how scientific ideas come to life since 1854, she hopes this book will continue to bring those important messages to many generations of curious minds.

Mark P Witton is a leading palaeontological artist, author and researcher at the University of Portsmouth, UK. He has produced artwork for museums and universities worldwide, including Natural History Museum and The London, and American Museum's of Natural History. He has also acted as a consultant for documentaries and films, including the Walking with Dinosaurs franchise, the BBC, National Geographic and research institutes around the world. His palaeoartworks have also been featured in numerous research papers, news reports, books, television shows, museums and art galleries, and he has consulted on the appearance of fossil animals for numerous television shows and films. He has written numerous books on palaeontology and palaeoart, including three books for Crowood.