A Curious World
OSGF
As any book lover is well aware, libraries hold a unique power to transport you to another world. The Oak Spring Garden Library, nestled among the property’s rolling, tree-dotted lawns, is a particular haven for bibliophiles. The library collection, carefully curated over decades by Rachel “Bunny” Mellon, houses tens of thousands of significant historical volumes on horticulture, landscape design, botany, natural history and exploration. Poring over their intricate etchings and detailed descriptions can offer valuable insight into how the scientists and artists of the past perceived the natural world, during times when social, spiritual, and geographical landscapes were shifting dramatically.
Georg Ehret Dionysius (German, 1708-1770). Water color on vellum, from Flowers, months, butterflies, and shells
One of the library’s goals is to share this expansive collection with scholars researching topics related to botany and natural history, which is why we are so excited to offer a new project-based course based on the library’s collection this June. “Pioneers of Natural History” will instruct participants in techniques and approaches for researching with historical natural history materials, using the works of pioneering naturalists and artists Maria Sibylla Merian (German, 1647-1717) and Mark Catesby (English, 1683-1749) as a starting point. The course, led by Merian scholar Kay Etheridge and Catesby scholar Henrietta McBurney Ryan, will also give participants the opportunity to delve into the library’s expansive collection and develop their own projects.
And the library collection offers a wide array of possible projects. While Sibylla Merian and Catesby are among the better-known authors featured in the collection, it also includes a treasure-trove of other rare and historic books and manuscripts, ranging from a natural history of the bible to an American ornithology that likely inspired the work of John James Audobon.
Scroll down for a look at some of the library staff’s favorite natural history texts. If you or someone you know is interested in exploring our library, please check out the flyer for our Pioneers of Natural History course - the deadline to apply is coming up fast!
American Ornithology by Alexander Wilson (volume I of IX, 1808-1814)
Scottish poet and naturalist Alexander Wilson (1766-1813) was known as the “father of American ornithology,” and his catalogue of North America’s birds stands as the first volume of American ornithology. Published over an eight year period, the massive texts contain 76 engraved and hand-colored plates based on Wilson’s drawings, grouped by color. Along with the drawings, Wilson recorded detailed descriptions and behavioral observations of America’s birds during his years of travel through the country; he met John James Audobon, then a merchant, during one of his expeditions, possibly inspiring Audobon to pen his own expansive ornithology years later.
Physique Sacree, ou histoire-naturelle de la Bible by Johann Jackob Scheuchzer (1732)
This eight-volume folio, penned by Swiss scholar Johann Jackob Scheuchzer (1672-1733), is unique among other natural history books of the Enlightement period, blending science and religion as it attempts to explain the history and phenomena (such as rainbows; see image above) of the natural world. Scheuchzer was well-known in particular for his palentoligical work; he believed that the many carefully etched animal and plant fossils featured in his Physique Sacree were relics from the biblical Great Flood.
Der Raupen Wunderbare und sonderbare blumen-nahrug by Maria Sibylla Merian (1679)
German author Maria Sibylla Merian (1647-1717) was among the first European naturalists to observe insects directly, during a time when women were excluded from scientific fields. Although she fell into relative obscurity over the course of history, her achievements have since been recognized, and she is now known as a major contributor to the field of entomology. Among the Oak Spring Garden Library’s extensive collection of her works is an original edition of her first book, The Caterpillars' Marvelous Transformation and Strange Floral Food, which depicts insects in different stages of development and the plants in their habitats. The images are thought to have been hand-colored by Merian herself and her daughter, Dorothea.
A General Natural History, Vol. I-III by John hill (1748-1752)
Prolific British author and scientist John Hill is perhaps best remembered today for his botanical research and his satirical writings, many of which involved him in quarrels not unlike the celebrity Twitter feuds of today. However, he also tried his hand at penning general natural history. This ambitious three-volume set, published over several years, attempts to catalogue a staggering variety of animals, shells, insects, plants, and minerals in detailed etchings. *
Want to learn more about the Oak Spring Garden Library? Please visit https://www.osgf.org/library.
*Special thanks to Head Librarian Tony Willis and Assistant Librarian Kimberly Fischer for their help with this blogpost