Flowers of the Renaissance

Flowers pop up everywhere in Renaissance art. Why are there pinks in a pot above a Crivelli Madonna, roses scattered across Botticelli's Primavera and columbines in the borders of many a fifteenth-century manuscript? This is the first book to explore how and why flowers feature so extensively in the extraordinary art of the Renaissance.



Choosing twenty favourite plants, the author introduces each and then describes and illustrates a number of wonderful examples. The new naturalism in Renaissance art makes every one clearly identifiable but there is also still a reason and meaning behind each chosen flower. Even their names can be loaded with meaning and the attributes of these flowers were well known to their original audience. Today we need to have these things explained - whether the flower is in a Tudor portrait, a tapestry, a Leonardo, a piece of jewellery or even on a plate or spoon.



These flowers were valued by everyone from emperors to needlewomen: this delightful and revelatory book seeks out these hidden treasures and provides an unrivalled exploration of their beauty and their significance.

Introduction

The Renaissance garden

Roses

Lilies

Irises

Columbines

Pinks and carnations

Tulips

Poppies and peonies

Wallflowers and stocks

Something bue

The flower-strewn grass

The daisy family

Daffodils and narcissi

Violas and violets

Strawberries

Thistles

Conclusion