A Garden of Earthly Delights

Oct. 5–Dec. 14, 2021
Forsyth Galleries | Memorial Student Center, MSC 2428

In the 19th century, curiosity about the natural world spread throughout the West as explorers brought back fascinating and fantastic examples of exotic animals, insects, plants, and other natural phenomena. Their discoveries drove many to meticulously catalogue these newly discovered wonders. Artists looking for inspiration frequently integrated findings in their designs. Turning this concept of nature inspiring art around, this exhibition pairs natural specimens drawn from three actively collecting Texas A&M University institutions: The Department of Ecology and Conservation Biology, the TAMU Insect Collection, and the S.M. Tracy Herbarium, with art from the University Art Collections to complement them.
 

KBTX News Visits A Garden of Earthly Delights

 

Color photograph of a newscast. Two women stand on the left and right. A male reporter with a microphone stands in the middle. Art can be seen in cases behind them and on the walls.

 
KBTX News’ Conner Beene visited the Forsyth Galleries to talk with our staff and give viewers a bird’s eye view (or an Emperor Penguin’s view) of university specimens and art in this nature-inspired exhibition.

 
 
 
 
 

Inside the Exhibition

Animal Hide
Bat Display
Bird Display
Birds in Cloche
Three bird specimens.
Butterfly Compilation
Cacti Display
Eagle Display
Fish Specimens in Jar
Garden Compilation and Painting
Garden Display
Garden Glass and Butterfly Display
Glass and Bone
Grasshopper and Insects
Owl and Butterfly Display
Owl and Butterfly
Owls and Butterfly
Penguin
Plant Compilation
Polar Bear Vase
Shell Compilation
Squid
Tusk and Shell
Vases and Bat
Vases and Insects

Virtual Tours

Move and click your mouse inside the views below to see this exhibition.

 

 

 

 

Thanks to Our Generous Collaborators

The Forsyth Galleries would like to thank the following departments for opening the doors to their collections and providing their assistance and expertise for A Garden of Earthly Delights. Visit their websites to learn more about what they do for the university and the scientific community at large.

Department of Ecology and Conservation Biology (ECCB) – Biodiversity Research and Teaching Collections

    1. – The Department of Ecology and Conservation Biology develops fundamental and translational science and leads discoveries in ecology and conservation biology.

 

    Department of Entomology – Texas A&M University Insect Collection (TAMUIC)

      1. – The TAMU Insect Collection is the largest natural history collection at Texas A&M in numbers of curated specimens and in numbers of species and is the largest entomological research collection in the state of Texas. The collection is an irreplaceable resource that provides critical support for the teaching, research, and service missions of the university’s Department of Entomology.

     

      S.M. Tracy Herbarium (TAES/TAMU)

        – The S.M. Tracy Herbarium is a vibrant and rapidly expanding collection of over 360,000 plant specimens. With one of the largest grass collections in the world and a rich collection of Texas specimens, the S.M. Tracy Herbarium is an invaluable resource that provides irreplaceable material for global scientific inquiry and service to our local communities.