1. Pomological from Aeon Video on Vimeo.

    In 1886, a US government agency embarked on an ambitious project to help fruit cultivators protect their innovations. The results, which capture the colours, textures and shapes of some 7,500 varieties in detailed illustrations, are breathtaking. This Aeon Video exclusive explores the history and legacy of what became known as the ‘Pomological Watercolor Collection’, highlighting both the beauty of the images and the indispensable contributions of female artists.

    Directed by Sebastian Ko (sebastianko.video/)

    More on this film: aeon.co/videos/in-1886-a-us-agency-set-out-to-record-new-fruit-varieties-the-results-are-wondrous
    Watch more free films on Aeon: aeon.co/videos
    Subscribe: vimeo.com/aeonvideo

     
     
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  3. nemfrog:

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    Annual rainfall in South America. The Canadian school atlas. 1923.

    Internet Archive

     
  4. mybeingthere:

    More pictures by Kathleen Lolley, American “folk surrealist”. 

    Kathleen Lolley calls her art “folk or botanical surrealism”. She says: “That’s just me categorizing the subject matter, and the way that I play with the subject matter is surrealism. It’s not that complicated and that’s what I’ve been striving for. I might have some complex themes, but I hope that it’s executed in a tangible way. That’s why I would use ‘folk,’ because surrealism implies dream-like to me, but folk implies accessible and more down-to-earth. I like bringing those two ideas together.”

    “I grew up in Kentucky, going camping, and also Pennsylvania surrounded by nature. It’s a place that’s very peaceful and away from the complications of modern, boxed, closed-in living. Nature is like art — I look at it and see something different every time. That’s why I like Bernheim’s mission, because it’s important to preserve spaces like this. Nowadays, if it’s not developed it’s not worth anything when it comes to the modern mechanisms that make use of the land. They’re just developing it and turning it into concrete or putting in pipelines. And development is important, but it’s not mindful of what it’s doing to the whole planet.“ 

    https://www.leoweekly.com/…/kathleen-lolley-explores…/

    http://www.kathleenlolley.com/

     
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  6. jareckiworld:

    The Queen of the Night (Burney Relief) fired clay, Mesopotamia, Old Babylonian era, 1800-1750 BCE.

    (via gwyllmllwydd)

     
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  9. thelostcanyon:

    A massive Soaptree Yucca (Yucca elata) near Mescal, Cochise County, Arizona.

    (via fatehbaz)

     

  10. typhlonectes:

    escuerzoresucitado:

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    Crabs

    I believe the last one is a squat lobster, but you know, the word crab…

     

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  12. dailyotter:

    Happy 10th Rescueversary, Katmai!

    Via Vancouver Aquarium, which writes, “It’s Katmai’s 10th rescueversary! Katmai was found near Homer, Alaska in 2012 at just a few months old, and nursed back to health at the Alaska Sea Life Center. Now she’s all grown up to be the Aquarium’s sea otter queen!”

    (via dailyotter)

     

  13. nemfrog:

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    Zoo animal pictograms. National Zoo Pamphlet, Washington, D. C. 1978. Detail.

    Library of Congress

     
  14. fiercerthanyou:

    “Waves” by Trevor Pottelberg

     
  15. clawmarks:

    Fantaisies décoratives - Jules Habert-Dys - c.1886-1887 - via Gallica