Verso
The Huntington’s blog takes you behind the scenes for a scholarly view of the collections.
Verso features research supported by The Huntington and reflects the varied perspectives of article authors and not necessarily the institution’s.
E.A. Spitzka’s Studies of Exceptional and Deviant Brains
Tue., Dec. 3, 2024 | Joel A. Klein, Ph.D.The Spitzka papers provide an invaluable resource for examining the intersection of medicine and criminal justice.
Making Connections through Community Cookbooks
Tue., Nov. 26, 2024 | Alanna DaveyOur cookbooks and recipes link us to others and shape the food traditions that define our lives.
Five Great Hummingbird Plants
Tue., Nov. 12, 2024 | Sandy MasuoWild birds enliven The Huntington’s landscape throughout the year thanks to the ample habitat that the gardens provide. Among the most cherished avian guests are hummingbirds. These tiny, vibrant visitors avail themselves of The Huntington’s abundant nest sites and nesting materials, water features, and food sources.
Daring Mighty Things with Charles Elachi
Tue., Nov. 5, 2024 | Kevin DurkinCharles Elachi, the former director of NASA and Caltech’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, talked with Huntington President Karen Lawrence about the importance of daring to take risks, environmental stewardship, and the mutually enriching interactions among the arts, humanities, and sciences.
The Establishment of the Native American Indian Commission
Tue., Oct. 29, 2024 | Josh Garrett-Davis, Ph.D.The Los Angeles City/County Native American Indian Commission, established almost 50 years ago, serves the needs of the largest urban Native American population in the United States. The Huntington’s records related to the commission’s founding reflect some of the complex histories of Indigenous people in Southern California.
A New Human Epoch
Tue., Oct. 22, 2024 | Kate Flint, Melinda McCurdy, Karla Ann Merino Nielsen, Ph.D.In conjunction with the “Storm Cloud” exhibition, The Huntington is hosting the research conference “Storm Cloud: Environment, Empire, and the Arts in the Industrial Age.” Scholars from a range of disciplines will examine how 19th-century artists and writers engaged with science and confronted the changes caused by the Industrial Revolution.
Restoring Edward Mitchell Bannister’s Rightful Place in Art History
Tue., Oct. 15, 2024 | Lauren CrossIn 1876, Edward Mitchell Bannister became the first African American artist to win a national award. The Huntington’s Lauren Cross writes about what motivated him, whom he credited for his success, and how he shifted from being a portraitist to a landscape artist.
Art
Mercedes Dorame: Everywhere Is West
Tue., Oct. 8, 2024 | Dennis CarrIn the spring of 2022, Tongva photographer Mercedes Dorame peered down at a tide pool on Santa Cruz Island, roughly 25 miles off the coast of California. Focusing her camera, she captured an image that provides a window into worlds.






