Review by Choice Review
Prepared to accompany an exhibition on botanical illustration at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, this concise, handsomely published and illustrated work by independent scholar Keeler not only provides an effective introduction to some 100 prints and drawings that form the basis of the exhibition, but also offers a concise, descriptive survey of botanical art and many of its most distinguished practitioners from the 17th to mid-19th centuries. Botanical art and illustration is a significant theme in the history of botany and embraces many other important aspects of the history of science, e.g., the history of medicine, history of exploration, voyages of scientific discovery, and natural history exploration and specimen collection. Although one is always impressed by the beauty, accuracy, and meticulous execution of botanical prints and drawings, the role of these works in the history of medicine, botanical classification, and scientific knowledge is also important to acknowledge. Since plants are usually delineated when they are in bloom, these beautiful color plates often emphasize the flowers of what were at the time exotic plants. Given the rather comprehensive nature of the exhibition, this volume also serves as a solid survey of many of the most prominent botanical illustrators and their works. Summing Up: Recommended. Upper-level undergraduates, professionals/practitioners, and general audience. P. D. Thomas emeritus, Wichita State University
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Choice Review
