A New Flowering

1000 Years of Botanical Art
by Shirley Sherwood

This gorgeous book presents an exhibition of 1000 years of botanical art displayed at the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford, England. It provides a unique opportunity to compare illustrations by contemporary artists alongside remarkable botanical art of the past. Chosen by Shirley Sherwood from her acclaimed collection of botanical painting and from the rich historical treasures of Oxford's libraries and museums, these inspiring plant portraits stand at the interface between art and science.

The oldest exhibit is a drawing of a thistle made by a monk in the late 11th century and the most recent painting, by Angela Mirro, is of a rare Peruvian slipper orchid discovered in 2002. By contrasting the old with the new throughout the show, it becomes apparent that the criteria for botanical illustration have not changed throughout the centuries.

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