Online photo exhibition “Aesthetics of Seeds”

The seeds in the teaching collection at the Botanical Garden in Erlangen have a very special aesthetic. Photographer Danièle Dugré shows them in an unexpected light.

Founded in 1851, the “Museum Botanicum Erlangense” has an eventful history. Time and again, the plants, seeds and fruit it contains were examined by specialists, supplemented by specimens from private collections but also sold or exchanged for specimens from other universities. A large number of exhibits were preserved for future generations in studies and others were lost when the collection moved to new premises.

One thing has remained the same during this time, however, and that is the fact that the items in the collection can only be viewed by the public on special occasions. Photographer Danièle Dugré was impressed by the beauty of the seed collection during a visit to the seed collection at the Botanical Garden. Her focus was not on taxonomic botany, but rather on the natural aesthetics of the items in the collection. She was particularly fascinated by the variety of shapes of the seeds and fruit and their different surfaces.

In close consultation with Jakob Stiglmayer, who manages the collection, individual samples of seeds were removed from their jars and cleaned. They were then carefully placed on a light plate and additionally illuminated from above using studio lamps. The photographer’s aim was to show the objects freely on a white background. By focusing on only one single object from the collection, it takes on a new depth. This allows even the smallest nuances and irregularities and the transparency of these fragile seeds to be emphasized.