More than a century has passed since the iconic Victoria water lily last graced The Huntington’s botanical collections. Today, you’ll find these intriguing tropical giants growing in the basin of the North Vista’s fountain and in the Lily Ponds on the south side of the property.
The Huntington announced the appointment of Diego Godoy as the associate curator of the Library’s California and Hispanic collections. Godoy comes to The Huntington from Duke University Libraries, where he serves as librarian for Latin American, Iberian, and Latino Studies. He begins his new role on Aug. 26.
Provenance, or the ownership history of a valued item, is generally associated with works of art. But plant provenance has become increasingly important as theft from botanical collections and the wild escalates. In response, The Huntington has joined an international working group focused on raising awareness of the problem.
The Huntington has acquired a 1543 “Fabrica” by Andreas Vesalius, whose book revolutionized the field of anatomy. The volume’s reunion with the Los Angeles County Medical Association’s collection at The Huntington not only restores a cornerstone of medical history but fosters deeper connections among the Library’s medical treasures.
Thomas Young’s 1896 volume of original poems and songs is among the few books by African American authors to have been published in the American West before the 20th century. Young’s as-yet-unheard voice belongs to the longer tradition of Black literature and, more broadly, American literature.
The Huntington will present the culmination of the national touring exhibition “Raqib Shaw: Ballads of East and West” from Nov. 16, 2024, through March 3, 2025. Raqib Shaw is a London-based artist known for opulent and fantastical works that blend Eastern and Western influences to create mesmerizing paintings that merge fable, history, and autobiography.
The scientific voyage of the HMS “Challenger” nearly 150 years ago defined the field of modern oceanography and continues to inform climate change studies to this day. As both a global expedition and a staggering publication series, the “Challenger” synergized art, craft, and science to visualize Earth’s mysterious underwater world.
