The American University Library is pleased to announce the opening of a new exhibit featuring illustrations from botanical publications in the Artemas Martin Collection.

The primary goal of botanical illustration is scientific accuracy.  Plants are presented so they can be recognized and distinguished from other species.  Botanical illustrations became more accurate in color and detail with the major advances in printing during the 18^th century.  The most talented botanical artists such as Isaac Sprague created illustrations that went beyond their scientific requirements to become works of art. Though amateur botanists, gardeners, and natural historians were the main market for botanical publications such as those in this exhibit, the illustrations increased their allure and accessibility to the general reader.

The18^th and 19^th Century Botanical Illustrations from the Artemas Martin Collection will be on display on the third floor of the Library through the end of the summer.

Archives and Special Collections is pleased to announce the opening of its spring 2011 exhibit, “Learning through Dictation: Elementary Mathematics Problems in the 18^th and 19^th Centuries.”

In the late seventeenth and early nineteenth centuries, arithmetic was taught through a set of rules that could be used in solving problems.  Commercial topics and vocational applications were predominant.  Instructors taught by dictation.  They presented the rules along with examples and practice problems.

This exhibit features copy books and text books for both instructors and students from the Artemas Martin and Karen D. Michalowicz Collections.  The copy books on display span over eighty years and illustrate the method of teaching over this period.

Charles Nelson Spinks began collecting books when he lived in Japan.  He donated over 1,000 books to American University Library in the 1970s.  The books cover a variety of subjects including art, history, philosophy, recreation, and travel during the Edo Period of Japan (1603-1868).

Japanese printed books on secular themes date from about 1600.  Some of the earliest books were produced using moveable type but by the middle of the 17^th century all commercially produced books were printed from woodblocks.  Many of the schools and styles of Japanese art are represented in illustrated books.  There are a number of different types of books such as gafu ‘drawing books’ which were usually produced by a single artist to give didactic examples of his style.  Artists could also combine with poets, novelists, and travelers to produce illustrated poetry collections, comic illustrated novels, travel guides and erotic books.  Popular titles were probably printed in ‘editions’ of thousands, and were regularly reprinted if there was demand.  Most Japanese books were printed on kozo, paper made from mulberry bark.  Rare Japanese books are defined as those predating 1867.  Numerous earthquakes and fires over the years and the allied bombing of World War II destroyed many old Japanese libraries.

On display are three examples of illustrated books including a gafu and two examples of albums of woodblock prints.  To limit exposure to light, the pages are turned every two months.   The exhibit will be on display through the end of April 2010.