The Botanist's Brush

Between 1923 and 1927, the painter Shmuel Charuvi worked for the botanist Ephraim Hareuveni, producing exquisite drawings for a planned botanical encyclopedia of the Land of Israel. Under the guidance of Ephraim and his wife, Hannah, Charuvi reproduced the land's plant life, demonstrating a technique perhaps unparalleled among the artists of his generation and penetrating powers of observation. Although the treasury never saw the light of day, more than 35 watercolors were preserved intact by the Hareuveni family. Their discovery and the recognition of their exceptional artistic quality led to the decision to present them to the public, along with documents and photographs from the Hareuveni estate that shed light on this fascinating artistic, scientific, and cultural endeavor.