“Botanical Art: Expressions of Natural Beauty” opens August 17, 2012, in the library of the Chicago Botanic Garden, 1000 Lake Cook Road, Glencoe, Illinois (map).

Botanical volumes, known today for their magnificent color illustrations, were originally created as accurate representations of plants for scientific discovery and research.

The exhibit continues in the garden’s library through November 11, 2012.

If you happen to be in northeastern Chicagoland on September 9, 2012, stop by the garden for a 2 p.m. talk about the exhibit by Stacy Stoldt, Reference Librarian and Rare Book Exhibitions Project Manager at the Chicago Botanic Garden.

(Image, “Papaver”, courtesy of Chicago Botanic Garden)