Art good enough to eat
The USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection documents fruit and nut varieties developed by growers (or introduced by USDA plant explorers) around the turn of the 20th century. These technically-accurate paintings were used to illustrate USDA bulletins, yearbooks, and other publications distributed to growers and gardeners across America.
The collection features 7,584 watercolor paintings, lithographs and drawings - including 3,807 images of apples.At left: The "Arkansas Black" apple, painted by Royal Charles Steadman, 1921.
Credit: National Agricultural Library
