A. J. Wendel

AJ Wendel (Abraham Jacobus Wendel, 1826–1915)
AJ Wendel was a celebrated Dutch lithographer, draughtsman and scientific illustrator whose work helped define 19th-century botanical and paleontological art. Born in Leiden on 31 October 1826, Wendel trained in classical drawing before joining the Arntz & Co. printing house, where he mastered multi-colour lithography techniques. His precision and eye for natural detail made him the go-to illustrator for leading botanists, including W.H. De Vriese on the 1847 landmark volume Descriptions et figures des plantes nouvelles et rares.

Over a career spanning more than six decades, Wendel produced hundreds of plates for major publications— from Carl Ludwig Blume’s Flora Javae et insularum adjacentium (1858) to the Annales du Jardin botanique de Buitenzorg in the late 1880s. His signature “AW” or “A.J. Wendel” appears on richly detailed wood-engraved portraits of Iris, Hibiscus, Viola and countless other species, combining scientific accuracy with artistic flair. In 1887 he also partnered with Boek- en steendrukkerij P.W.M. Trap, extending his influence into paleontological illustration and cartography.

AJ Wendel’s legacy endures in herbaria and museum collections worldwide, where his plates remain prized examples of Dutch botanical lithography. Today, his prints are sought after by collectors of Victorian‐era scientific art, valued both for their historic importance and timeless aesthetic.