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Botanical Art from the Golden Age of Scientific Discovery

by Anna Laurent

University of Chicago Press, 2016
Cloth: 978-0-226-32107-3 | eISBN: 978-0-226-32110-3
Library of Congress Classification QK98.L38 2017
Dewey Decimal Classification 580

ABOUT THIS BOOK | AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY | REVIEWS | TOC | REQUEST ACCESSIBLE FILE

ABOUT THIS BOOK

Throughout the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, wall charts were a familiar classroom component, displaying scientific images at a large scale, in full color. But it's only now that they've been superseded as a teaching tool that we have begun to realize something their ubiquity hid: they are stunning examples of botanical art at its finest.

This beautifully illustrated oversized book gives the humble wall chart its due, reproducing more than two hundred of them in dazzling full color. Each wall chart is accompanied by captions that offer accessible information about the species featured, the scientists and botanical illustrators who created it, and any particularly interesting or innovative features the chart displays. And gardeners will be pleased to discover useful information about plant anatomy and morphology and species differences. We see lilies and tulips, gourds, aquatic plants, legumes, poisonous plants, and carnivorous plants, all presented in exquisite, larger-than-life detail.

A unique fusion of art, science, and education, the wall charts gathered here offer a glimpse into a wonderful scientific heritage and are sure to thrill naturalists, gardeners, and artists alike.

AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY

Anna Laurent is a flora-focused writer and photographer who collects and photographs seed pods around the United States and abroad, partnering with botanical gardens and arboreta to expand the project. She is also a contributing editor to Garden Design Magazine, where she wrote two weekly columns: 'Art & Botany' and 'Botanic Notables'. She currently lives in Los Angeles.

REVIEWS

"In the era of computer presentations and emphasis on innovative teaching, it might be difficult to appreciate the importance once given to botanical wall charts in science education. In Botanical Art from the Golden Age of Scientific Discovery, the reader is introduced to these beautiful wall charts. These are re-created in large format, stunning color, and are arranged according to plant families. Each family is briefly described and followed by representative charts. Lively captions give further information about the plants, the scientists, and the artists. Those interested in pedagogy, plants, and art will find pleasure and inspiration in this book."

— Choice

In gorgeous full-color pages, Botanical Art from the Golden Age of Scientific Discovery celebrates art and science at the same time—perfect for naturalists, gardeners, artists and even historians. These illustrations date back through the 19th and 20th centuries and are quite transportive—it's incredible to see the artistry of such scientific discoveries, and to think just how significant and advanced they must have been for the time. Yet, there's a timelessness to every illustration in this book, as there's no denying the beauty and awe that nature continues to offer.

— Cool Hunting

"Laurent has curated an exquisite collection of historic botanical art. This book is a treat for those who enjoy reading about botany, the history of science, or botanical illustrations."

— New York Botanical Garden

“This is a fabulous book. . . . Go out and buy a copy—you will not be disappointed.”

— Economic Botany

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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See other books on: Botanical illustration | Charts, diagrams, etc | Flowers | Golden Age | Plants & Animals
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