Picturing Plants: An Analytical History of Botanical Illustration

Drawing on the rarely seen archives of the Victoria and Albert Museum, art historian Gill Saunders shares the story behind 100 gorgeous artistic pieces that feature plants, from exquisitely detailed scientific illustrations to boldly colored contemporary seed packets. A remarkable selection of botanic art—including masterworks by Georg Dionysus Ehret and Pierre-Joseph Redouté and superb illustrations by anonymous artists in China, India, and Japan—is explored, making insightful connections between botanic art, science, and culture. Questions such as Throughout history, who has drawn plants, and why? and What do these images say about humans' relationship with the natural world? are answered in this updated collection that captures both the complex cultural history and the distinctive loveliness of botanical illustration.