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PEOPLE & ARTS Wednesday 25 september 2019
Botanical illustration: Putting a timely focus on nature

By KATHERINE ROTH fection of the drawing it-
Associated Press self, says Bynum. "What I
Think of botanical illustra- learned doing this book is
tors, and you might envi- that you don't have to be
sion a world of medieval a great artist to get things
herbalists, tulip or orchid down on paper in a way
collectors, or affluent that can communicate to
young women of the 17th other people," she says.
and 18th centuries making Robin Jess runs the Botani-
detailed drawings and wa- cal Art and Illustration pro-
tercolors of garden plants. gram at the New York Bo-
But there's nothing old- tanical Garden, the oldest
fashioned about botanical certificate program in the
illustrations. subject in the country.
"Plants and flowers eternal- "We tend to be very accu-
ly speak to us, and there's rate, and to pay attention
a great admiration now to all the details. We require
for realistic drawings and that students take classes
observing nature, and a in plant morphology, so
renewed interest in hand- they understand what it is
made crafts," says Femke exactly that they are draw-
Speelberg, associate cu- ing. It requires a strong basis
rator in the department of in botany," she explains.
drawings and prints at The The garden is also the
Metropolitan Museum of This photo provided by The Metropolitan Museum of Art shows a watercolor over graphite by headquarters of the Ameri-
Art in New York. Anonymous titled "Decorative Design with Natural and Abstract Flowers," from the late 19th cen- can Society of Botanical
"As a source of inspiration, tury. Artists, with about 1,800
the relationship between Associated Press members.
decor and nature has al- compendium of botanical nal purposes and people in 17th century Holland, "Contemporary botani-
ways been very important," illustrations by 80 artists from needed to be able to tell when rare bulbs sold for cal artists share a concern
she says. around the world. safe from poisonous plants. the equivalent of an aver- for the environment, par-
Today, as we lose biodi- "Being a sketcher of what- A lot of plant families con- age person's annual salary, ticularly in light of climate
versity, botanical drawing ever ability makes you re- tain both. For instance, the it was crucial for collectors change, as well as for draw-
is also an important way ally engage with what you nightshade family of plants and breeders to record ing attention to plants," Jess
to examine and docu- are looking at it," says By- includes Belladonna, a poi- each flower's unique pat- explains.
ment plants that might num. sonous plant, and also edi- terns and contours. Before photography was
not always be there, says Botanical drawing dates bles like tomatoes, peppers And botanical art can be invented, botanical illus-
Helen Bynum, who with back to at least to the times and eggplants. about more than accu- trations were essential to
her husband, William By- of the Pharaohs. It was par- Explorers often brought a racy. understanding plants. But
num, compiled "Botanical ticularly developed in the botanical artist along to Often, the story a botani- today, too, drawings can
Sketchbooks" (Princeton Middle Ages, when plants record the plants encoun- cal illustration tells is more illuminate aspects of plants
Architectural Press, 2017), a were often used for medici- tered. During "Tulip Mania" mesmerizing than the per- in a way photos cannot.q

Medieval masterpiece by Cimabue rediscovered in French house

By CLAIRE PARKER He broke from the Byzan- small piece having been
Associated Press tine style popular in the created by Cimabue’s
PARIS (AP) — A master- Middle Ages and incorpo- hand. Alexis Ashot, an in-
piece attributed to 13th rated elements of move- dependent art consultant
century Italian painter Ci- ment and perspective for British auction house
mabue has been discov- that came to characterize Christie’s, said the discov-
ered in a French woman’s Western painting. ery in France sent ripples of
kitchen —and it’s expect- After examining the French excitement in other parts
ed to sell for millions of eu- kitchen find, Turquin gal- of the art world.
ros at an upcoming auc- lery specialists concluded “It’s wonderful to be re-
tion. with “certitude” it bore minded that there are
Titled “Christ Mocked,” the hallmarks of Cimabue’s paintings of such major im-
small wood painting de- work, Pinta said. portance that are still out
picts Christ surrounded by They noted clear similari- there and still to be discov-
a crowd. Experts think it to Art expert Stephane Pinta points to a 13th century painting by ties with the two panels of ered,” he said.
be part of a larger diptych Italian master Cimabue in Paris, Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2019. Cimabue’s diptych, one The painting will be the first
Associated Press
Cimabue painted around displayed at the Frick Col- Cimabue masterpiece to
1280, said Stephane Pinta, 20 centimeters). Other ex- tioneer spotted the paint- lection in New York and be auctioned when it is
an art specialist with the perts agreed. ing while going through the other at the National put up for sale at the Ac-
Turquin gallery in Paris. Until recently, the painting her house and suggested Gallery in London. teon auction house north
“It’s a major discovery hung on a wall between bringing it to art experts, Likenesses in the facial of Paris on Oct. 27, ac-
for the history of art,” the kitchen and the dining Pinta said. expressions and buildings cording to Pinta. Turquin
Pinta said of the newly room of a home in Com- Cimabue, who taught Ital- the artist painted and the experts think a major art
discovered work measur- piègne. The woman con- ian master Giotto, is widely techniques used to con- museum will buy it for a
ing about 10 inches by 8 sidered it an icon of little considered the forefather vey light and distance price of between 4 million
inches (24 centimeters by importance until an auc- of the Italian Renaissance. specifically pointed to the and 6 million euros.q