Design*Sponge is featuring a very cool book today that contains illustrations from science textbooks and educational charts over the 19th and 20th century, curated specifically for their aesthetic value.
Design*Sponge contributor Amy Azzarito writes:
I’m 100% certain that if the education charts in my junior high science class looked like those found in this book, I would have gotten a much better grade. A few years ago, I hunted down a chart of sea plants in Paris found at the most magical of natural history stores, Deyrolle. It is still one of my favorite pieces of art. Katrien Van der Schueren, owner of voila! Gallery in Los Angeles, has been collecting educational charts for over a decade. In this volume, Katrien compiled over 100 of these vintage educational posters for the Art of Instruction. The book’s charts cover subjects ranging from the anatomy of a tulip or apple tree to that of a hedgehog or starfish. The book is just now available for pre-order.
Van de Schueren, the author of the book, is also hosting a giveaway:
To celebrate the book’s launch, Katrien is gifting one lucky reader the chart depicted on the book’s cover! To enter, just leave a comment below describing your favorite poster from childhood; it doesn’t have to be an instructional poster.
check out closeups and more previews of the book via art of instruction + contest | DesignSponge.
The Art of Science 