Spring is in the air (as is a lot of pollen), so now is a good time to start anticipating spring flowers! Descriptions of flowers in botanical books are often accompanied by images, which can be produced in a variety of ways: woodcuts, engravings, lithographs, and even nature printing where the object itself becomes a printing tool. This spring, we’ve gotten out three books that each use a different technology: hand-colored engravings from 1799, lithographic plates from 1899, and woodcuts from 1999. Come take a look!
The current display in Special Collections features The Botanical Magazine; or Flower-Garden Displayed (1799), The Flowering Plants, Grasses, Sedges & Ferns of Great Britain (1899), and Shakespeare’s Harvest (1999).