California Native Wildflowers: Prints by Henry Evans is an exhibition of fifteen color linocut prints from the Donohue Rare Book Room’s recent acquisition of a limited edition portfolio of forty botanical prints by the San Francisco printmaker, Henry Evans. The linocut prints, on exhibition through May 11 in the Donohue Rare Book Room, portray some of the most beautiful wildflowers native to California, arranged in chronological order of botanical discovery, accompanied with text written by the artist. Evans (1918-1990) was a prolific artist who produced over a thousand prints in his lifetime. He also was a publisher and bookseller whose shop, The Porpoise Bookshop, was located on Clement Street a few blocks from the University on San Francisco.
The portfolio, California Native Wildflowers complements the Donohue Rare Book Room’s holdings of works by Henry Evans, including materials published by his Peregrine Press. Additional prints are featured in the Thacher Gallery exhibition Aroused Tranquility: Graphic Botanicals by Henry Evans, March 18 to April 22. An opening reception and printmaking demonstration on the Rare Book Room’s historic 1854 Albion hand-press will take place on March 27.
The acquisition of California Native Wildflowers was made possible from a bequest by Nancy Weston in Memory of William J. Monihan, S.J.
John Hawk
Head Librarian, Special Collections & University Archives