First published 2020
Yale historian Daniel J. Kevles examines the U.S. Department of Agriculture Pomological Watercolor Collection, an archive containing 7,584 botanical artworks created between 1886 and 1942. About sixty-five commissioned artists produced these paintings, lithographs, and line drawings during an era when the American fruit industry faced rampant competition and fraud. Without patent protection for living organisms, these images functioned as unofficial trademarks for different fruit varieties. The collection reveals the remarkable botanical diversity that existed in American agriculture at the turn of the century. Kevles presents 100 full-color illustrations from this archive, each meticulously crafted and beautifully executed. His introduction provides historical context that enhances understanding of these visual documents. The book offers readers both artistic appreciation and insight into a pivotal period in American agricultural history, when visual documentation became crucial for establishing fruit variety authenticity and commercial identity.
Genres: history, 20th-century, agriculture, non-fiction, 19th-century, art-history
Vibes: educational, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: historical-nonfiction
Setting: America, United States
Period: 1886-1942
122 pages · Hardcover · Heyday