Naturbilder im Wandel der Zeiten

Since the earliest cave paintings—dating back around 50,000 years—fauna and flora have served as a source of inspiration for human creativity. Even early Homo sapiens produced artworks such as flutes made from swan bones or the “Lion Man” sculpture, which, according to art historian Rolbert Felfe, points to a “close interweaving of art with ritual practices.”

Over millennia, art has helped humans understand their place in the world and transcend mortality, for example through portraits. From the late Middle Ages onward, careful observation of nature gained importance, especially for medicine and science. Drawings, printmaking techniques, and nature printing enabled precise knowledge long before the advent of photography. In the modern era, nature is increasingly understood as a space shaped by human activity. Today, artistic engagement ranges from gentle design interventions to BioArt, which deliberately intervenes in living systems. 

To the Unizeit-article (2026)