Vintage School Chart – Orb Weaver (Araneus diadematus) – Prof. Pfurtscheller, ca. 1900, Restored Original
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Product description
Product description
This original lithographic school chart shows a detailed anatomical illustration of Orb Weaver (Araneus diadematus) and comes from the prestigious educational series Zoologische Wandtafeln, created by Prof. Dr. Paul Pfurtscheller in Vienna around 1900. The series was used in biology education and is today considered a masterpiece of scientific illustration.
The chart was professionally restored by a renowned paper conservation studio. The original paper was backed with canvas, cleaned, flattened, and fitted with new wooden rods and a textile hanger—making it a rare and valuable collector’s or decorative item.
Specifications:
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Series: Zoologische Wandtafeln
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Author: Prof. Dr. Paul Pfurtscheller, Vienna
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Subject: Orb Weaver (Araneus diadematus), anatomical illustration
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Technique: Color lithograph
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Period: ca. 1900
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Condition: Professionally restored
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Restoration: Paper backed with canvas; new wooden rods
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Dimensions: 127 × 140 cm
Historical background
The Zoologische Wandtafeln series was created at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries in Vienna by Prof. Dr. Paul Pfurtscheller, who combined his expertise in biology and pedagogy with artistic skills. His goal was to produce wall charts that were scientifically accurate, visually compelling, and educationally effective. The charts were widely used in grammar schools and universities across the Austro-Hungarian Empire and later throughout Europe.Style and use
The illustration reflects the scientific precision and fine lithographic detail typical of late 19th-century academic material. This piece serves beautifully as a decorative element for interiors, studies, cafés, natural history cabinets, or as a collector's item for enthusiasts of science, vintage design, and antique educational tools.
Interesting facts
Paul Pfurtscheller was both the author and illustrator of the series—an unusual combination in scientific publishing.
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The Zoologische Wandtafeln collection includes over 40 charts and was actively used in teaching for several decades into the 20th century.
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This particular chart of Orb Weaver (Araneus diadematus) is among the most detailed in the series, showing both internal anatomy and microscopic structures.
Technical specification
| Quantity: | 1 |
| Width: | 127 cm |
| Height: | 140 cm |