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.

Left: James Marion Shull's 1924 watercolor of the "Blacktwig" apple shows physiological damage from lesser cedar rust.

The paintings in the collection date from 1886 to 1942, with most created between 1894 and 1916.

"Fall Pippin" apple. Watercolor by Ellen Isham Schutt (1905).

High-quality prints from the collection's images are a popular sale item.

A "Ferdinand" apple. Watercolor by Royal Charles Steadman (1925).

"Morgan's Christmas" apple. Watercolor by Ellen Isham Schutt (1912).

"Henry Clay" apple. Watercolor by Royal Charles Steadman (1919).

"Polly Eades" apple. Watercolor by Mary Daisy Arnold (1915).

"Royal Limbertwig" apple. Watercolor by Ellen Isham Schutt (1905).

Mary Daisy Arnold's 1917 watercolor painting of Chestnuts.

"Hewes" crab apple. Watercolor by Mary Daisy Arnold (no date).

"Jumbo" American cranberry. Watercolor by Mary Daisy Arnold (1914).

"Valdepenas" grapes. Watercolor by Deborah Griscom Passmore (1902).

Nectarines. Watercolor by Royal Charles Steadman (1914).

"Rajabury" mangoes. Watercolor by Elsie E. Lower (1910).

"Gandy" strawberries. Watercolor by Deborah Griscom Passmore (1898).

For more info:

USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection, National Agricultural Library

CBS News 24/7