Botanical Garden
AA-2026-A30B7F
On the image
A man in a strikingly striped polo shirt points with profound purpose at a tree. In the 1970s, the act of locating and acknowledging a tree's official identification plaque was a common, low-stakes adventure, often a highlight of a vacation in a public park or botanical garden.
His smile suggests the quiet satisfaction of having successfully engaged with the arboreal world, a specific Pinus pinea (Italian Stone Pine) now officially registered in his travel memories. This was before the era when every plant and rock would automatically announce its species via a pocket device, thus stripping humanity of its modest research efforts.
The tree, having been assigned its proper Latinate designation, stands stoically, enduring the brief, enthusiastic attention of yet another human who feels a deep connection to inanimate objects that possess labels.
The historian's note
This image documents a man posing with an Italian Stone Pine (Pinus pinea) in a park or botanical garden during the 1970s. The plaque visible on the tree provides its common and scientific names, indicating it is an identified specimen within a cultivated or managed natural environment.
Posing with natural landmarks and informative plaques was a prevalent form of tourist photography in the mid-20th century, serving both as a personal memento and an educational record of one's travels. The specific attire and eyewear worn by the subject are characteristic of fashion trends during the 1970s.
The Italian Stone Pine, native to the Mediterranean, is recognised for its distinctive umbrella-shaped canopy and its edible pine nuts, and is a popular ornamental and agricultural species.
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Visually related — by likeness
Man with Italian Stone Pine, 1970s. 1970–1979. Archive & Atlas, Historical Image Library, AA-2026-A30B7F. https://thearchive.archiveandatlas.com/library/man-with-italian-stone-pine-1970s.
@misc{aaAA2026A30B7F,
title = {Man with Italian Stone Pine, 1970s},
year = {1970–1979},
howpublished = {Archive \& Atlas, Historical Image Library},
note = {Accession AA-2026-A30B7F},
url = {https://thearchive.archiveandatlas.com/library/man-with-italian-stone-pine-1970s}
}TY - ART TI - Man with Italian Stone Pine, 1970s PY - 1970–1979 PB - Archive & Atlas, Historical Image Library AN - AA-2026-A30B7F UR - https://thearchive.archiveandatlas.com/library/man-with-italian-stone-pine-1970s ER -
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