RHS Lindley Library, London

The Royal Horticultural Society's Lindley Library in London specializes in botanical art and garden history, holding unique collections of early printed books on gardening, botanical
art and photographs. It also holds the archives of the RHS and personal archives of notable gardeners and garden designers.

The library is based upon the book collection of English botanist John Lindley, and has many rare books dating from 1514. It also includes other media such as garden guidebooks, trade catalogues, postcards and press cuttings. As well as horticulture, the collection covers flora, birds and other related subjects. The Lindley Library is the largest horticultural library in the world.

Elizabeth Koper gave us a delightful tour which included works by Ehret, 16th century illustrated books, contemporary botanical artworks by accomplished artists such as Fiona Strickland, and royal signature pages.  She also spoke about the application process for the annual RHS botanical art show.

Flemish Technique

The Flemish Technique, practiced by master painters in 16th century Flanders builds great depth of color, ensures a full value range, and helps with accuracy in realism.  I recently documented a painting of pansies that I did in the Flemmish Technique.  I really enjoy this technique as it breaks everything down to manageable steps and builds such rich depth in the painting that you just can't seem to get with a direct painting method.  It is very interesting that paintings done in the Rennaisance will outlast any done afterward.  They just get more beautiful and transparent with age.  Museums spend a lot of money trying to care for more modern collections in which the artists didn't understand the chemistry, materials or techniques behind good works of art.

Transfer Drawing to Your Support

Imprimatura to establish a mid-tone wash to judge values better.

Umber Painting to establish shadows

Dead Layer or Grisaille to establish values

Color Layer

Highlights and Details

The Berger Crucifixion: Art and Revelation in Early Fifteenth Century England

Dr. T.E. Heslop, a specialist in medieval and Renaissance English art and architecture and professor of early English art at the University of East Anglia, Norwich, England spoke last night at the Denver Art Museum on the Berger Crucifixion which is one of the best preserved English devotional panel paintings of the 15th century. http://www.bergercollection.org/?id=5&artwork_id=42 The painting will go on view on level 6 of the North Building in early March for the first time since 1999.

I particularly enjoyed the medieval discussion about whether or not it was appropriate to paint images for worship vs. using the images to raise people's thoughts toward heaven.  It is of many people's opinion that these medieval paintings are poorly executed - lacking in perspective, proportion, etc.  however, I think one should look at the purpose of such works.

The story of the two thieves at Christ's crucifixion is as follows: Two men were crucified at the same time as Jesus, one on his right hand and one on his left. According to Luke:

39 Now one of the criminals hanging there reviled Jesus, saying, "Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us." 40 The other, however, rebuking him, said in reply, "Have you no fear of God, for you are subject to the same condemnation? 41 And indeed, we have been condemned justly, for the sentence we received corresponds to our crimes, but this man has done nothing criminal." 42 Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." 43 He replied to him, "Amen I say to you today you will be with me in Paradise."

According to tradition, the Good Thief was crucified to Jesus' right hand and the other thief was crucified to his left. For this reason, depictions of the crucifixion often show Jesus' head inclined to his right, showing his acceptance of the Good Thief. The thief's conversion is sometimes given as an example of the necessary steps one must take to arrive at salvation through Christ: awareness of personal sin, repentance of sin, acceptance of Christ and salvation's promise of eternal life.  Also noteworthy about the painting is how the Bad Thief is portrayed as having his back toward Christ and his face is in shadows.  These paintings had a story to tell so the background was not as important as the cast of characters and their countenance, which was executed relatively well.  These paintings were very readable at a glance.

Unknown British artist, The Crucifixion (detail), about 1395. Tempera and oil with gilded tin relief on oak panel. Berger Collection at the Denver Art Museum

Sketching Birds at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science

Members from the Rocky Mountain Society of Botanical Artists went down to the Denver Museum of Nature and Science to draw birds behind the scenes.  I believe the Collections Manager said that the displays only constitute 0.2% of their collection.

Skeleton of Sharp Shinned Hawk

Artist drawing Vulture

Alexander Viazmensky

We met up with Alexander Viazmensky at our hotel.  He took time away from mushroom season in the country to visit with us.  I love his happy mushrooms.

Komarov Botanical Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences

The Komarov Botanical Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences is a leading botanical institution in Russia, It is located on Aptekarsky Island in St. Petersburg, and is named after the Russian botanist Vladimir Leontyevich Komarov (1869-1945).

The institute hosts Saint Petersburg Botanical Garden as well as herbarium collections that house over seven million specimens of plants and fungi. The latter is the largest collection in Russia, and among the three largest in the world.

We got to see flora and fauna illustrations by Maria Sibylla Merian that had been mostly hidden from the public eye. During a trip to Amsterdam in 1719, Peter the Great encountered a collection (144 illustrations) of watercolors by a little-known female artist.  The tsar was entranced by the opulent color, exquisite detail and refined lines of the collection - pictures of flowers, plants, sea creatures and insects, each depicted with remarkable scientific accuracy.  Peter brought the watercolors back to St. Petersburg and with them opened Russia's first museum.  After Peter's death, the paintings were given to the Academy of Sciences, where they have resided ever since.

Maria Sibylla Merian's Work

Hermitage, St. Petersburg, Russia

Hermitage

The Hermitage is one of my most favorite museums in the world. The State Hermitage is a museum of art and culture in Saint Petersburg, Russia. It was founded in 1764 by Catherine the Great and has been open to the public since 1852. Its collections, of which only a small part is on permanent display, comprise over three million items, including the largest collection of paintings in the world. The collections occupy a large complex of six historic buildings along Palace Embankment, including the Winter Palace, a former residence of Russian emperors.

Hermitage Winter Palace

Of six buildings of the main museum complex, four, named the Winter Palace, Small Hermitage, Old Hermitage and New Hermitage, are partially open to the public. The other two are the Hermitage Theatre and the Reserve House.

Grand Staircase

Sleigh

Wall Detail

Cupid and Psyche

Cupid

Museum Feet at End of Day