{"id":6368,"date":"2017-04-22T04:30:46","date_gmt":"2017-04-22T08:30:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/?p=6368"},"modified":"2017-04-24T11:18:36","modified_gmt":"2017-04-24T15:18:36","slug":"earth-laughs-in-flowers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/?p=6368","title":{"rendered":"Earth Laughs in Flowers"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cEarth laughs in flowers, to see her boastful boys
\nEarth-proud, proud of the earth which is not theirs;
\nWho steer the plough but cannot steer their feet
\nClear of the grave.\u201d –\u00a0“Hamatreya<\/a>” by Ralph Waldo Emerson<\/p>\n

This post was written by Khalid Tamimi, Research Services Student Assistant and\u00a0undergraduate in marketing.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

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“Cannaceae: Canna generalis Equador,” Box 1, Page 11, Kjell Sandved nature photograph collection #C0020, Special Collections Research Center, George Mason University Libraries.<\/p><\/div>\n

Special Collections Research Center holds a myriad of materials that cover the flourishing world of Botany. This includes photograph collections, like the one by Kjell B. Sandved<\/em>, or books like Histoire des plantes v\u00e9n\u00e9neuses et suspectes de la France<\/em> (The history of venomous and suspicious plants of France), Temple of Flora<\/em>, and many more that we have in our catalog.<\/p>\n

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Kjell B. Sandved<\/a>, Norwegian nature photographer, spent his life traveling across our green planet and capturing its versatility and beauty one frame at a time. His images capture so much detail that a mere glimpse is enough to slow down ones perception of time and get lost in a lifeless image that portrays the very essence of life itself.<\/p>\n

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“Bougainvillea glabra, Hawaii,” Box 1, Page 7, Kjell Sandved nature photograph collection #C0020, Special Collections Research Center, George Mason University Libraries.<\/p><\/div>\n

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As one peruses over the breathtaking photographs you can\u2019t help but envy those who have dedicated their lives to the study and observation of nature\u2019s finest. We as a species seem to be obsessed with beauty yet we tend to forget the ever-blooming beauty that Mother Nature is.<\/p>\n

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“Grevilla Banksii Kahili flower. Queensland Australia,” Box 1, Page 12, Kjell Sandved nature photograph collection #C0020, Special Collections Research Center, George Mason University Libraries.<\/p><\/div>\n

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Flowers are a great reminder that standing out and being different warrant celebration rather than scrutiny. As social creatures, we fixate on assimilation and \u00a0yet we often\u00a0forget that beauty almost always lies in uniqueness. At first glimpse do you notice the single flower? Or the identical leaflets on either side?<\/p>\n

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Histoire des Plantes V\u00e9n\u00e9neuses et Suspectes de la France<\/em>\u00a0contains over 100 plant species which vary in beauty but are all poisonous. This 1798 book provides information on each plant, though written in French, describing the parts of each plant and other useful facts.\u00a0<\/em>L’Hellebore noir is a beautiful flower that can be found across France; also known as the Christmas rose or Helleborus Niger. Despite its misleading name this plant does not belong to the rose family rather is an evergreen perennial flowering plant in the buttercup family. Despite its aesthetic charm, this flower\u00a0is actually\u00a0poisonous. Touching or being near this plant can cause\u00a0the burning of the eyes, mouth, and throat, coughing, and in some cases, oral ulcerations. This may be Mother Nature\u2019s subtle reminder that just because something appears beautiful does not mean that it is harmless or good.<\/p>\n

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“L’Hellebore noir,”\u00a0<\/em>Bulliard, Pierre, Histoire des Plantes V\u00e9n\u00e9neuses et Suspectes de la France<\/em>, QK100.F7 B85 1798<\/a>, Special Collections Research Center, George Mason University.<\/p><\/div>\n

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“Tulips,” Thornton, Robert John, Thorton’s Temple of Flora<\/em>, QK98 .T5<\/a>, Special Collections Research Center, George Mason University.<\/p><\/div>\n

Written in 1951,<\/em>\u00a0this oversize edition of\u00a0Thorton’s Temple of Flora\u00a0<\/em>(originally Thorton published some editions in the late 18th century and early 19th century) has large, beautiful illustration of flowers, most of which are in color. The text within the book describes Thorton’s life, interests in botany and his relationship with the Darwin family.\u00a0Exploring these illustrations, one can learn vital life lessons from natures finest. Not only should we all take the time to appreciate the intricacies of the natural world that we live in. Similarly, we can learn a lot about ourselves and how we coexist with other living things in this world.\u00a0<\/em>We can coincide peacefully together, regardless of the differences in the colors of our petals, their origins, or which way we choose to face the sun.<\/p>\n

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“The Dragon Arum,” Thornton, Robert John, Thorton’s Temple of Flora<\/em>, QK98 .T5<\/a>, Special Collections Research Center, George Mason University.<\/p><\/div>\n

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To search the collections\u00a0held at Special Collections Research Center, go to our website<\/a>\u00a0and browse the finding aids by subject or title. You may also e-mail\u00a0us at speccoll@gmu.edu<\/a> or call 703-993-2220 if you would like to\u00a0schedule an appointment, request materials, or if you have questions. Appointments are not necessary to request and view collections.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u201cEarth laughs in flowers, to see her boastful boys Earth-proud, proud of the earth which is not theirs; Who steer the plough but cannot steer their feet Clear of the grave.\u201d –\u00a0“Hamatreya” by Ralph Waldo Emerson This post was written by Khalid Tamimi, Research Services Student Assistant and\u00a0undergraduate in marketing.\u00a0 Special Collections Research Center holds […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[198,326],"tags":[466,468,467,201,55,369],"class_list":["post-6368","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-photography-collections","category-rare-books-2","tag-earth","tag-flowers","tag-mothernature","tag-nature-photography","tag-photograph","tag-rarebooks"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p8Ep5i-1EI","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":2503,"url":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/?p=2503","url_meta":{"origin":6368,"position":0},"title":"Notes from a Photograph Collection","author":"admin","date":"July 26, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"Although the Oliver F. Atkins Photograph Collection contains tens of thousands of prints, negatives, and slides, there is also a small amount of papers that consist of handwritten notes, correspondence, and caption guidance forms.\u00a0 These documents assist with identification, such as the Ku Klux Klan photographs from December 1965 for\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/?cat=3"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/07\/Klavern.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":5691,"url":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/?p=5691","url_meta":{"origin":6368,"position":1},"title":"Celebrate National Moth Week with SCRC","author":"admin","date":"July 25, 2016","format":"image","excerpt":"The late Kjell Sandved, born in Norway in 1922, was a noted nature photographer who took\u00a0pictures of various insects, including moths, from all over the world. Sandved is best known for finding and photographing various\u00a0shapes and patterns on butterflies and moths, including every letter of the English alphabet, smiling faces,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Photography collections"","block_context":{"text":"Photography collections","link":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/?cat=198"},"img":{"alt_text":"\"Dog figure on silkworm moth,\" Box 4, Page 12, in the Kjell Sandved nature photograph collection #C0020, Special Collections Research Center, George Mason University Libraries.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/C0020B04F12_08-162x240.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":10061,"url":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/?p=10061","url_meta":{"origin":6368,"position":2},"title":"We Are Mason: A Student History","author":"Bob Vay","date":"March 1, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Our university celebrates its 50th Anniversary as an independent institution this year. The above photograph is the only one from that day known to exist. It was most likely taken by a George Mason University (GMU) employee in a department housed in the North Building (today known as Finley) called\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "exhibits"","block_context":{"text":"exhibits","link":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/?cat=22"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/R0135_25_131_4-16-98_MASONDAY_lite.jpg?fit=1200%2C773&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/R0135_25_131_4-16-98_MASONDAY_lite.jpg?fit=1200%2C773&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/R0135_25_131_4-16-98_MASONDAY_lite.jpg?fit=1200%2C773&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/R0135_25_131_4-16-98_MASONDAY_lite.jpg?fit=1200%2C773&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/R0135_25_131_4-16-98_MASONDAY_lite.jpg?fit=1200%2C773&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":6632,"url":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/?p=6632","url_meta":{"origin":6368,"position":3},"title":"Travel Series: The Americas","author":"admin","date":"June 16, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"This post was written by Tiffany Kajer Wright. \"I am a grad student in the English department\u2019s Professional Writing and Rhetoric program. If I\u2019m not cooking, I\u2019m probably watching a historical documentary on Netflix. I also love traveling with my husband \u2013 I\u2019ve been to 19 countries and counting. I\u2019m\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "exhibits"","block_context":{"text":"exhibits","link":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/?cat=22"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/Ker12_28004EasterIsland1.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/Ker12_28004EasterIsland1.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/Ker12_28004EasterIsland1.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/Ker12_28004EasterIsland1.jpg?resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":9679,"url":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/?p=9679","url_meta":{"origin":6368,"position":4},"title":"A Book of Memories","author":"admin","date":"August 16, 2021","format":"gallery","excerpt":"This post was written by Colleen Gerrity, Reading Room Coordinator. She is starting her Master's degree at Mason this year. Last summer, I took on the gargantuan task of sorting, organizing, and arranging 30+ years of my family\u2019s photographs into photo albums. I took the heavy boxes home from my\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Photography collections"","block_context":{"text":"Photography collections","link":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/?cat=198"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/a6e-cropped.jpg?fit=1046%2C414&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/a6e-cropped.jpg?fit=1046%2C414&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/a6e-cropped.jpg?fit=1046%2C414&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/a6e-cropped.jpg?fit=1046%2C414&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":7414,"url":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/?p=7414","url_meta":{"origin":6368,"position":5},"title":"Mahogani Harper: My Experience as a Student Assistant at Special Collection","author":"admin","date":"April 11, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Working at the Special Collections Research Center (SCRC) as a student assistant has been a unique and enjoyable experience. 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