Philip Henry Gosse: A Naturalist’s Sojourn in Alabama

Thursday, September 8, 4:00pm – 7:30pm

The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Auburn University (OLLI) in conjunction with Alabama Audubon invites you to celebrate the work of English naturalist Philip Henry Gosse (1810-1888). Dr. Gary Mullen, Professor Emeritus of the Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology at Auburn University, kicks off the OLLI Fall term with a presentation on Gosse’s life followed by a reception and exhibition of reproduced prints of Gosse’s artwork.

Gosse came to Dallas County as a teacher and spent eight months recording his observations of the rich biodiversity of Alabama. His descriptions of plant and animal life, plantation life, and everyday life in those early days of Alabama statehood were published as a series of articles and later in book form as Letters from Alabama (1859) after his return to England. While in Alabama, Gosse produced a collection of 49 beautifully detailed sketches and watercolors which were not widely available until 2010 with the publication of Gosse: Science and Art in Letters from Alabama and Entomologia Alabamensis.

Schedule of Events:

4:00 pm – Auburn University College of Nursing, 710 Donahue Drive – Presentation by Dr. Gary Mullen

5:30 pm – OLLI at Auburn Sunny Slope campus, 1031 S College Street – Reception and viewing of the exhibition.

These events are free and open to the public. The exhibition will be on display at Sunny Slope through November 14.