John Gould and His World: An Illustrated Lecture by Robert McCracken Peck

The Oak Spring Garden Foundation is an operating foundation dedicated to sharing the gifts and ideas of Rachel "Bunny" Mellon.  Its mission is to support and inspire fresh thinking and bold action on the history and future of plants, including the art and culture of plants, gardens and landscapes.

Oak Spring Garden Foundation

Join us for an illustrated lecture on John Gould in our latest installment of the "Treasures of the Oak Spring Garden Library."

Oak Spring Garden Library

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John Gould (1804-1881), a contemporary and sometimes rival of the American naturalist John James Audubon, was a scientist, artist, publisher, and entrepreneur of extraordinary ability and dimension. Though entirely self-taught, Gould created over forty illustrated books on the birds and mammals of the world. Many of the 3000 magnificent natural history illustrations for which he was responsible rank among the finest ever produced.In a sumptuously illustrated lecture, Robert McCracken Peck, Senior Fellow and Curator of Art and Artifacts at the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia (now part of Drexel University) and an authority on John Gould, will describe Gould’s remarkable life and times. Using slides of Gould’s spectacular publications, many of which are contained in Mrs. Paul Mellon’s library at Oak Spring, Mr. Peck will place Gould in a broad historical context, explaining his relationship with some of the most interesting figures of the 19th century, including: Charles Darwin (whose theories on evolution Gould helped to develop), the nonsense poet Edward Lear (who provided illustrations for some of Gould’s most beautiful books), and the British Royal family (whose patronage helped to ensure Gould’s remarkable success). In 2004 Mr. Peck co-curated an exhibition on the art and science of John Gould that was shown at the Australian embassy in Washington D.C., then traveled and toured at museums in Adelaide, South Australia and Hobart, Tasmania.Original watercolors and books published by Gould will be displayed and discussed in detail in the library following Mr. Peck’s talk. Please note: This small group experience is for those interested in learning more about some of the spectacular treasures in Bunny Mellon's library. No previous knowledge is required, just a fascination with art, books, history or the natural world.About The Lecturer: Robert McCracken Peck is Curator of Art and Artifacts and a Senior Fellow at the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia (to which John Gould was elected a corresponding member in 1843), and the author of a series of esteemed publications, including the best-selling B.B.C. book "Land of the Eagle: A Natural History of North America" and "The Natural History of Edward Lear" (Princeton University Press, 2021). He was the organizing curator for the exhibition "John Gould’s Birds of Australia,” which was shown at the Australian Embassy in Washington D.C. and traveled throughout Australia in 2004. He will be bringing several original watercolors by John Gould to complement the many Gould publications in Mrs. Mellon’s library.Event Overview :<ul><li>1:00pm - 2:30pm | Illustrated lecture by Robert Peck in the Oak Spring Garden Foundation Library</li><li>2:30pm - 3:00pm | Coffee and Conversation in the Gothic Room of the Mellon Residence</li></ul>

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John Gould and His World: An Illustrated Lecture by Robert McCracken Peck

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