The Brendel collection of the University of Namur

Brendel's didactic models have enjoyed remarkable success since their creation at the end of the nineteenth century. After decades of use in teaching botany, they eventually fell into disuse.

Their undeniable artistic value, however, now makes them an exceptional heritage that many collectors compete for.

This catalogue compares models of plants – as well as fungi and bacteria – with their natural reality, illustrating the extent to which the Brendels, father and son, were able to combine scientific rigour and the poetry of floral structure with such remarkable talent.

While there is probably no collection in the world of all the models made by the Brendels that could be said to be complete, the collection held at the University of Namur is certainly one of the finest collections in Europe.

Philippe Martin is a member of the Biology Department at the University of Namur. For the past eighteen years, he has been responsible for the management and development of the Botanical Collections of the University, including the Brendel Collection. He is the author of a book entitled: Les familles des Plantes à fleurs d'Europe occidentale (Presses universitaires de Namur)