Olmsted Society of Riverside's Annual Meeting with Guest Speaker David Oppenheimer

Please join us on January 16 at 7pm for our annual meeting followed by a presentation from David Oppenheimer.

From Catesby to Audubon: Natural History Art and Olmsted’s Legacy of Nature.

From Catesby to Audubon: American Natural History Art and Olmsted’s Vision of Landscape explores the parallel development of American natural history art and the nation’s evolving view of the natural world. This presentation will examine how 18th- and 19th-century artists and naturalists such as Mark Catesby, Alexander Wilson, and John James Audubon shaped the scientific and aesthetic foundations of American natural history illustration.

In Riverside, that legacy endures in the names of its streets, including Michaux, Bartram, and Audubon, which honor naturalists whose work reflected the same respect for nature that guided Frederick Law Olmsted’s vision. This lecture connects their studies of American flora and fauna to Olmsted’s philosophy of landscape design, revealing how both art and landscape sought harmony between human life and the natural environment. Original historic artworks and artifacts from this period will be displayed during the presentation, offering a rare opportunity to experience firsthand the images and objects that helped define America’s relationship with nature.

Also check out other Arts events in Riverside, Meetups in Riverside.