March 7, 2024 – (KEY WEST, FL). On March 15, 2024, the Key West Museum of Art & History will launch its latest exhibition, “Flora & Fauna: Early Naturalists in Florida” which features the story and artwork of a handful of artists who captured the state before it was developed in the late nineteenth century. The museum welcomes the public to a special reception on March 15 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. to mark the exhibition’s opening.
When Florida became a U.S. state in 1845, the peninsula was largely unoccupied, undeveloped, and undocumented—an inhospitable wilderness that few explored due to its oppressive heat, mosquito swarms and widespread swampland. Captivated by the diverse animals and plants that were essentially unknown elsewhere on the American continent, explorers made the arduous journey to Florida to see for themselves.
“Artists/Naturalists accompanied these explorers as they traveled to Florida’s uncharted and unblemished regions abounding with natural beauty,” says Dr. Cori Convertito, curator for the museum. “These artists/naturalists painted intriguing landscapes from Florida’s Panhandle to the Keys. Their creations were replete with distinct flora and fauna unfamiliar to American citizens. For these men, observation of plants and animals was equal parts art and science.”
Notable naturalists to visit Florida in the 18th and 19th centuries include William Bartram, Mark Catesby, Alexander Wilson, Thomas Nuttall, Titian Ramsay Peale, John James Audubon, and Thomas Say. Their drawings and study notes were printed in books and circulated widely, thus making Florida a destination for those interested in nature-centric recreation including birdwatching, fishing, and hunting. The exhibition will feature short biographies of the principal artists/naturalists alongside representations of their Florida-inspired works.
“Flora & Fauna” runs through September 13, 2024, in the Bumpus Gallery and is sponsored by the Florida Department of State, Division of Arts & Culture. For more information, visit www.kwahs.org/naturalists, call Cori Convertito at 305-295-6616 x 507 or [email protected].
Your Museums. Your Community. It takes an Island.
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Image 1: Early Artists/Naturalists visiting Florida in the nineteenth century is the subject for the Key West Museum of Art & History’s latest exhibit. “Flora & Fauna” opens on March 15, 2024, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. with a free reception for the public. (Photo credit: American Philosophical Society, Public domain)
