About this sheet
Set of Two Entomological Lithographs from Die Geradflügler, Germany, 1908
An elegant pair of original color lithographs from Richard Tümpel's celebrated natural history publication Die Geradflügler Mitteleuropas, published in Gotha by F.E. Perthes in 1908. These finely executed plates depict mayflies and stoneflies native to Central Europe with exceptional scientific precision and understated decorative beauty.
Tafel XIII illustrates numerous species of Ephemeroptera, including Ephemera danica, Cloëon dipterum, Potamanthus luteus, Heptagenia semicolorata, Heptagenia venosa, Choroterpes picteti, Ephemera vulgata, Baëtis binoculatus, Centroptilum luteolum, and Habrophlebia fusca. The graceful forms and elongated tails characteristic of mayflies create a remarkably elegant composition.
Tafel XIV presents an equally fascinating survey of Plecoptera, featuring Perla maxima, Perla abdominalis, Chloroperla grammatica, Dictyopteryx microcephala, Taeniopteryx nebulosa, Nemura lateralis, Leuctra cylindrica, Isopteryx tripunctata, and Nemura cinerea. The subtle earth tones and delicate wing structures lend the sheet both scientific importance and decorative appeal.
Produced using high-quality chromolithographic techniques, these plates represent the final flowering of European natural history illustration before photographic reproduction became dominant. Their refined compositions and harmonious palette make them ideal for collectors, libraries, and contemporary interiors inspired by the natural world.
The prints originate from Richard Tümpel's Die Geradflügler Mitteleuropas. Gotha: F.E. Perthes, 1908. Quarto. 308 pages with 23 lithographic plates, including 20 in color. Reference: Nissen, Zoologische Buchillustration 4181.
Sold unframed. Framed images are for inspiration only and may not represent the exact scale of the artworks.
Creator: Richard Tümpel (1854–1928)
Publisher: F.E. Perthes, Gotha
Date: 1908
Origin: Germany
Medium: Original color lithographs on paper
Period: Early 20th Century
Condition:
Good. Minor age toning, occasional light foxing, and gentle handling wear consistent with age. The impressions remain crisp, and the original colors are remarkably fresh and well preserved.
