Carl Cordts

Carl Christian Cordts (1844-1910) was already admitted to the Academy of Fine Arts at the age of 15, where he studied for some years. The zoologist J. Reinhardt became aware of his rich abilities for the detailed reproduction of natural science objects, and he became affiliated with the professionals of the day as illustrator for academic articles, books and training plates. He was constantly given new tasks by these professionals who estimated his abilities high, but did not have the opportunity to pay him much. Reinhardt secured him a permanent position and income at the Telegraph Service, which enabled him to work freelance with the many drawings and plates, that gave him a lasting reputation as a talented scientific illustrator.    

At the Agricultural University he worked for anatomy professor Simon Paulli (1865-1933) & zoology professor J.E.V. Boas (1855-1935) for many years. The majority of the many illustrations in Boas early textbooks were thus by Cordts & for each new edition, more were added. He also prepared a number of plates used for training at the university. Masterly are the distinguished, coloured plates for the first volume of Boas/Paullis large folio The Elephants head, 1908.

At the memorial exhibition at the Danish Museum of Decorative Arts in 1911, the text of the catalogue was written by Simon Paulli, who with veneration mentions Cordts work with i.a. these words: "Cordts immediately demonstrated quite uncommon skills in the production of natural history objects and quickly developed into an excellent master in this area ..  His life was divided between the Telegraph Station and the drawing board, yet he achieved  a very significant production ..  The illustration of other peoples works took his time and power, and there was no time for independent work. ..  Cordts was a modest man ..  His last drawings are in freshness, in artistic treatment and in true reproduction fully in level with his first."

Below are a few examples of original drawings to Boas Lærebog i Zoologien (LZ) 1888 + 2/3. editions 1894/1905 & unique  illustrations to Boas general school books Lærebog i Dyrerigets Naturhistorie (LDN) 1892 & Lille Naturhistorie (LN) 1903. The library has a large part of these originals in a special collection. In addition, some training plates (KVL) with Cordts signature CC & a few plates from The Elephants head. 

LZ1888 fig. 19: Vascular system - lobster LZ1888 fig. 129: A-B: horse crabs LZ1888 fig. 161: Early stages of crab development LZ1888 fig. 299: Iguanodon, a birdlike dinosaur
LZ1894 fig. 23: Vascular system & respiratory organs LZ1894 fig. 142: Fresh water Bryozo LZ1894 fig. 240: Littorina - male LZ1894 fig. 241: Littorina - female
LZ1905 fig. 105: A colony of anthozoons LZ1905 fig.257: Details from insects LZ1905 fig. 442: Urinary & sexual organs - crocodile   LZ1905 fig. 537: Ascidian
LDN1892 fig. 30: Dog LDN1892 fig. 54: Right whale LDN1892 fig. 86: Duckbill LDN1892 fig. 97: Goose
LDN1892 fig. 160: Boa constrictor swallowing a bird LDN1892 fig. 190: Flying fish LDN1892 fig. 302: Nautilus shell LDN1892 fig. 314: Starfish
LN1903 fig. 6: Cross section of human head LN1903 fig. 27: Giraffe LN1903 fig. 54: Stork with chicks LN1903 fig. 97: Tarantula
KVL plate: Armadillo KVL plate: Sea cow KVL plate: Bat KVL plate: Kangaroo
KVL plate: Kangaroo cranium KVL plate: Median section - cranium of cat & lion KVL plate: Median section -  cranium of foal & horse KVL plate: Air chambers in cranium of an old elephant
Many more plates are presented in the Pictorial base Undervisningstavler fra Landbohøjskolen  (only Danish text) prepared by a number of illustrators for many years at the Agricultural University. Most of these have no signature.   
     
Unique plates by Carl Cordts used for the litographs in the folio The Elephants head - see more in this webexhibition.