The Flowers of the Renaissance

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

Celia Fisher is both an art historian and a plantswoman. At the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, she researched the uses of plants worldwide before going on to study at the Courtauld Institute. There she specialised in the history of plants in art. She now lectures and identifies flowers in artworks for galleries and art historians. Her articles have appeared in art and gardening journals, including Apollo, Country Life and Hortus and she has written Flowers in the National Gallery for London's National Gallery and Medieval Flowers for the British Library. Her main relaxation is gardening and her town garden has been open under the National Gardens Scheme. She lives in Kew, Surrey.

This study is pleasurable as it is full of insight. Scotsman Today we need books like Fisher's to help us unlock the hidden messages behind the petals. Plaza Watch Sumptuously illustrated, filled with fascinating details and esoteric information, this is a charming book for any garden, flower or art aficionado to dip into at leisure. A delight for anyone interested in the meaning of flowers in Renaissance art. Cassone An accomplished art historian [Fisher] is particularly illuminating about the lesser flowers of Renaissance art: the colombines, poppies, peonies, stocks, strawberries, thistles, larkspurs, periwinkles and grasses which she ties together in unexpected ways. Times Literary Supplement Editor's choice: The revelatory text and copious illustrations bring out an array of hidden treasures, whether in the grass at a saint's feet, on the sleeve of an Elizabethan lady, or inside the lid of a Florentine wedding chest, which shed a delighful new light on Renaissance art. Good Book Guide An elegantly designed oversize volume generously illustrated with full-page Renaissance paintings and some textiles and tableware. Book News In its well-focussed way this book provides an epic manner in which to learn about plants and gardens and, more importantly, gives a glimpse of how they connect to so much else. Hortus