Robert & Reinhold Brendel and others, 20th century | Three Didactic Botanical Models

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Didatic models were highly sought after and acquired by Universities and other institutions worldwide throughout the nineteenth century. The use of papier-mache was first developed by Dr. Louis Jerome Auzoux (1797-1880) (see lot 58) as a more robust alternative to wax and soon became the medium of choice. Robert Brendel (c. 1821–1898) and his son Reinhold Brendel (c. 1861–1927) produced exquisite and highly accurate botanical models from workshops in Breslau and Berlin. Painstakingly painted by hand, the papier-mache models often incorporate other materials such as cotton, glass beads, feathers and gelatin to enhance detail and mimic a variety of life-like textures. The University of Aberdeen Zoology Museum holds over 150 models by Robert and Reinhold Bendel, illustrating the great demand for scientifically accurate study models in the nineteenth and early twentieth century.