Plan to spend a wonderful evening on Thursday, June 4, 2015, from 7 until 9 pm at the Sterling Morton Library of The Morton Arboretum, as Manager of Library Collections, Rita Hassert, and Rare Art Collection Assistant (and Nature Artists’ Guild member), Arlene Widrevitz, discuss the lives and works of some of the adventurous and dedicated artists who contributed to plant hunting, collecting, and documentation across the world and the centuries.

Featured in the presentation will be Ferdinand Bauer, an Austrian botanical illustrator, and William Bartram, an American botanical and ornithological illustrator, both contributors of artwork to the French botanist and explorer, Andre Michaux and his son, Francois Andre Michaux, for their book on trees of North America, The North American Sylva. The lives and works of other artistic contributors, Pierre-Joseph Redoute and Pancrace Bessa will also be explored.  (Please click on any of the highlighted links above to read more.)

During this presentation, rare works by these and other artists from the Sterling Morton Library’s Art and Rare Book Collections will be on display to highlight and illustrate the presentation, as well as the library’s current exhibit, Plant Hunters.

Guests and visitors are welcome to attend this special presentation sponsored by the Nature Artists’ Guild of The Morton Arboretum.  There is no fee for parking or attendance, and non-members of The Morton Arboretum should let the gate attendant know that they are there for the Nature Artists’ Guild program.