Sunday, February 24     2:00 PM

Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical

Garden's Education Building

"Cupid and Psyche: Fables and Festoons"

The stunning frescoes of the master Renaissance painter

Raphael Sanzio (1483-1520) illustrating the heavenly

adventures of Cupid and Psyche were painted to decorate  the

Roman Villa of the wealthy Sienese banker Agostino Chigi

from 1515 to 1517. Surrounding these panels are festoons of

fruit, flowers, and vegetables painted by Giovanni Martini da

Udine (1487-1564).  The fabulous festoon paintings consist of

almost 2000 images of fruits, flowers and vegetables and

almost 200 species.

Most important for the history of horticulture and

agriculture is that the festoons contain the first images of

maize, squash, and beans from the New World barely a

quarter century after Columbus’ encounter with the Americas.

A deconstruction and collation of the images in the festoon

makes it possible to analyze the genetic diversity of horticulture

500 years ago with special emphasis on the introduction of

maize to Europe.