Snowflakes

Wilson Bentley
snowflake photo

You may have seen the marvellous microscopic photos of individual snowflakes by Wilson 'Snowflake' Bentley, but I'm rather taken with the more conceptual illustrations below, of snowflakes based on sketches of observations made under a microcope from Snowflakes: A Chapter from the Book of Nature (1863)

Snowflakes: a Chapter from the Book of Nature (1863), - See more at: http://publicdomainreview.org/2012/12/04/illustrations-of-snowflakes-1863/#sthash.lCqFjdwA.dpufSn

Snowflakes: a Chapter from the Book of Nature (1863), - See more at: http://publicdomainreview.org/2012/12/04/illustrations-of-snowflakes-1863/#sthash.lCqFjdwA.dpuf

Snowflakes: a Chapter from the Book of Nature (1863), - See more at: http://publicdomainreview.org/2012/12/04/illustrations-of-snowflakes-1863/#sthash.lCqFjdwA.dpuf

Snowflakes: a Chapter from the Book of Nature (1863), - See more at: http://publicdomainreview.org/2012/12/04/illustrations-of-snowflakes-1863/#sthash.lCqFjdwA.dp

(via the Public Domain Review) including the geometrical forms "under which the snow-vapor crystalizes."

nder which the snow-vapor crystalizes

nder which the snow-vapor crystalizes

The Public Domain Review hosts the entire book so you can see and read more here.

You can also find 'Snowflake' Bentley's photos in the Smithsonian's collection online.