Glass White Water Lily - Harvard

by KJ Swan

Title

Glass White Water Lily - Harvard

Artist

KJ Swan

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Photograph - Photograph

Description

Made entirely of glass, Harvard University’s renowned botany collection features anatomically precise plant models created for scientific study.

Professor George Lincoln Goodale sought lifelike representations of the plant kingdom to teach botany year-round. By crafting the specimens in glass, the plants could remain perpetually in bloom and be examined regardless of season. Between 1886 and 1936, master glass artisans Leopold and Rudolf Blaschka of Germany produced more than 4,300 life-sized, scientifically accurate models representing over 800 plant species.

Today, this extraordinary collection remains on public display at the Harvard Museum of Natural History in Massachusetts. This White Water Lily (Nyphaea alba) shows the exquisite detail of a single model.

(A delicate white water lily lies gracefully on a light surface, displaying its layered petals and vibrant yellow center. Shadows enhance the depth and dimension of the flower, creating a serene and minimalist scene.)

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January 21st, 2026

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