BREATHTAKING creatures from the undersea world have been brought to life on dry land - through the delicate medium of glass.
Exquisitely detailed and startlingly realistic, the squids, sea-slugs, cuttlefish, jellyfish and other denizens of the deep have now gone on show at the Yorkshire Museum in York.
The exhibition, the Glass Aquarium, is the work of 19th Century German glassworkers Leopold Blaschka and his son Rudolf.
In their workshop in Dresden they brought together design, craftsmanship and industrial production at a time when the world was fascinated by the then-recently discovered science of marine exploration.
Using rudimentary equipment, they fused or glued clear and coloured glass and attached tentacles and gills on fine copper wires and their fame spread far and wide, with their work in demand internationally.
Their models were displayed in museums and studied as scientific specimens. By the late 1880s, replicas of more than 700 sea creatures were listed in the Blaschkas' catalogue.
The touring exhibition was put together by London's Design Museum and runs at the Yorkshire Museum until January 18.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article