A German Botanical Teaching Model of a Hemlock Flower (Umbelliferae)

A German Botanical Teaching Model of a Hemlock Flower (Umbelliferae) By Institut Wichers & Co., Berlin, circa 1900

A finely executed and hand-painted enlarged model of a hemlock (Cicuta) flower, produced for botanical instruction by Institut Wichers & Co., Berlin. Constructed in painted papier-mâché and mounted on its original base, the model presents the delicate radial structure of the bloom with clarity, its simplified white petals and projecting stamens rendered at an exaggerated scale for study.

The underside retains its original printed label, inscribed “Umbelliferae – Vergrössert”, together with multilingual annotations identifying the plant and its classification—reflecting its use within the European academic system of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

With its restrained palette and elegant, almost abstract form, the model transcends its didactic purpose, standing as a refined sculptural object in its own right—illustrating the quiet sophistication of early scientific teaching aids.

47cm by 20cm by 19cm