September 14, 2014

A Wondrous Look Inside a Tuft of Grass

500 years ago, artist and engraver Albrecht Dürer took the time to carefully and meticulously paint the >Great Piece of Turf. In both the Northern and Southern European Renaissance, studies in preparation of a larger painting were not uncommon.

By Glendon Mellow

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This article was published in Scientific American’s former blog network and reflects the views of the author, not necessarily those of Scientific American

500 years ago, artist and engraver Albrecht Dürer took the time to carefully and meticulously paint the >Great Piece of Turf.

In both the Northern and Southern European Renaissance, studies in preparation of a larger painting were not uncommon. One of the many remarkable features of Dürer's study is that it appears to have been created just for itself. The brief life of a few plants - including "cock's-foot, creeping bent, smooth meadow-grass, daisy, dandelion, germander speedwell, greater plantain, hound's-tongue and yarrow"¹ - immortalized.

Lenne3D is a company specializing in 3D models for animation and visualization of "past and future landscapes" including topics around energy and ecology. They have created a delightful 3D animation that steps inside the Great Piece of Turf: marvel at Dürer's Wonderland.

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For the third year running, we are turning September into a month-long celebration of science artists by delivering new sciart to invade your eyeballs. The SciArt Blitz! Can’t get enough? Check out what was previously featured on this day:

2013: See Mike Draw...Science! - art by Mike Jacobsen

2012: Ducky Treat - art by Craig Dylke

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