Exhibit | January 5, 2012

Lloyd Library's Exhibits "Peppers in Image and Word"

For Immediate Release-January 4, 2012

Lloyd Library and Museum (LLM) is pleased to announce: "Turning up the Heat this Winter: Peppers in Image and Word." January 14 through April 13, 2012. Opening reception and lecture-Saturday, January 14, 2012, 4-7 p.m.

This exhibit explores the depictions and descriptions of the chili pepper-Capsicum annum [reproduction at left from LLM's copy of A Curious Herbal by Elizabeth Blackwell, volume 1, plate 1, 1739]-a plant that, over recent years, has experienced a growth in popularity both as a food and medicinal ingredient.  Love peppers or hate them, come to see LLM's new exhibit "Turning up the Heat this Winter: Peppers in Image and Word" to learn about them and taste the heat at a lecture and catered reception on Saturday, January 14, 2012, 4-7 p.m. This event is free and open to the public.

The exhibit will feature books from LLM's vast collection, such as the 1516 edition of Pliny the Elder's (23-79 CE) Natural History, the earliest mention of it in LLM.  From there, the exhibit follows the economic, medicinal, and botanical history of this popular plant through five centuries.  In addition to Pliny's book, some of the earliest depictions of Capsicum in European literature will be on display-featuring herbals from the 16th and early 17th centuries by such notables as Leonhard Fuchs (1501-1566), Carolus Clusius (1526-1609), Matthias de L'Obel (1538-1616), and Rembert Dodoens (1517-1585).  These are interesting volumes, in part because the information on peppers was so limited, and thus a little confused and confusing.  Now, we know much more about chili peppers.  There are whole volumes devoted to the plant, its fruit, uses, and benefits.  Jean Andrews (1923-2010), of the University of Texas at Austin, wrote two notable works on the pepper and became a world-expert on the subject, which will be on display, along with a host of other fascinating works.

W. Hardy Eshbaugh, a world-renowned expert on peppers will deliver a brief but fascinating lecture, "Some Like it Hot: The Little Known World of Chili Peppers" on January 14 at 4:30.  Eshbaugh, Professor Emeritus of Botany at Miami University, received his Ph.D from Indiana University in 1964 and, since then, established a long and distinguished career in Miami University's Botany Department (1967-1998), serving as Chair from 1983-1988.  During his career and
beyond, Eshbaugh attained his reputation as a Capsicum expert.  With his assistance, the accompanying art exhibit will include a variety of images of peppers, including some by Jean Andrews, David Carangilo, Amal Naj, and Jeff Schickowski.  Eshbaugh's photos feature some of his own finds from the field.  In addition, reproductions of Eduardo Fuss's photo art will be featured with the permission of the Zimmerman Library of the University of New Mexico.

The Lloyd Library and Museum, located at 917 Plum Street, downtown Cincinnati, is a local and regional cultural treasure.  The library was developed in the nineteenth century by the Lloyd brothers-John Uri, Curtis Gates, and Nelson Ashley to provide reference sources for Lloyd Brothers Pharmacists, Inc., one of the leading pharmaceutical companies of the period.  Today the library is recognized worldwide by the scientific community as a vital research center. The library holds, acquires, and provides access to both historic and current materials on the subjects of pharmacy, botany, horticulture, herbal and alternative medicine, pharmacognosy, and related topics.  Although our collections have a scientific focus, they also have relevance to humanities topics, such as visual arts and foreign languages through resources that feature botanical and natural history illustrations, original artworks, and travel literature, thereby revealing the convergence of science and art. The Lloyd is open to anyone with an interest in these topics.  Free parking is available for patrons and visitors behind the library building.  For more information, visit the Lloyd website at www.lloydlibrary.org.


Lloyd Library and Museum
917 Plum Street
Cincinnati, Ohio 45202
513-721-3707
www.lloydlibrary.org
Open Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Open the third Saturday of the month, September through May, 9:00 a.m.
to 4:00 p.m.