Alexander von Humboldt (1769-1859)
Géographie des plantes près de l’Equadeur. Tableau physique des Andes
1803
37 x 49 cm
Complete title: Geography of equinoctial plants: physical table of the Andes and adjacent countries; prepared according to observations and measurements made at places from the 10th degree north latitude to the 10th degree south latitude in 1799-1803.
The drawing is now part of the archives of Gulliermo Hernández de Alba, and was drawn by Alexander von Humboldt in Guayaquil, Ecuador, after climbing the volcano Chimborazo. With his companion Aimé Bonpland, he traveled through the Spanish colonies in South America and the Phillipines. An exceptional right, granted to them by Charles V himself. The only condition was that Humboldt pay for the entire expedition himself. This was no problem, since his mother had died in 1797, leaving him and his older brother Wilhelm in wealth.
Alexander von Humboldt , born and died in Berlin, was a mining expert, botanist, ecologist, visionary, writer, poet, draughtsman, scientist and, above all, explorer. No one in the whole world has so many streets, buildings, places, living and non-living creatures named after him.
Rightly.
The drawing above, which Alexander von Humboldt made after climbing the volcano Chimborazo, shows a partial cross section of this volcano. Von Humboldt combined various measurements and classified plant species related to climatic layers, physical measurements, chemical conditions, altitudes and his own observations. This drawing served as the model for his later more detailed 1807 version, and has become an iconic "nature painting" in the history of science. His vision and developed theory has become the standard for how we, around the world, think about coherence and hierarchy in nature; the standard for our view of the natural world.
Purchased directly from the artist by Friedrich Wilhelm III in 1806.