Soon after Brooklyn Botanic Garden was founded a century ago, an artist named Maud Purdy joined the Garden as a botanical illustrator. At that time, it was common for scientific institutions to employ staff artists to document their collections. But Purdy's vivid floral paintings stood out for their artistry and precision.
This year, the Garden contributed a virtual exhibit of Purdy's work to Google Cultural Institute's Natural History project. Other botanic gardens, zoos, and science museums have also contributed to this digital archive of plants and animals, fossils, preserved specimens, slides, and illustrations.
View the exhibit Drawing From Life: A Look at the Work of Botanical Artist Maud H. Purdy as well as a photo gallery of plants and a virtual tour of the Garden itself at BBG's Google Arts & Culture page. You can also explore the contributions other scientific institutions have made to the Natural History project.
