Böcker av Hope B. Werness

An elegant reference guide to the meaning of plants in art and life. From early Egyptian reverence for the acacia and the lotus, to the Victorian language of flowers and the works of Vincent Van Gogh and Georgia O'Keeffe, we have long sought meaning in nature. Significance has often been ascribed to particular plants, referencing their uses as food or medicine, their associations with saints and heroes, or more abstract or aesthetic qualities like fortitude, beauty and strength. Weaving together botany, mythology, folklore, religious texts, and centuries of art and literature, this richly illustrated, elegant reference guide engages the cultural significance and underlying meanings of over fifty plants. Each entry is accompanied by a work of art or botanical illustration, bringing together the world of art and plants in an elegant and seamless fashion and deepening our understanding of how plants have been used by artists in the past and what they mean to us today. This is the ideal reference volume for the artistically inspired botanist as well as a pleasure to read and leaf through.

Van Gogh, after his first breakdown, wrote to Theo: Just a few words to tell you that I'm getting along so-so as regards my health and work. Which I already find astonishing when I compare my state today with that of a month ago. I well knew that one could break one's arms and legs before, and that then afterwards that could get better but I didn't know that one could break one's brain and that afterwards that got better too (letter 743, 1889). Neglected as an artist during his lifetime, Vincent van Gogh is now among the most popular and well-known artists ever. In addition to his powerful art, the drama of his life contributes to this. The dramatization of his interactions with others (e.g. Gauguin and the ear incident) and the emphasis on his illness, often overshadow his artistic genius. Van Gogh in Detail focuses on his ability to express universal and powerful human emotion. The book deals with several repeated themes in his work, illustrated by embroidered details and hand-colored drawings. It provides a new look at his work, especially at its profundity, complexity, and continued relevance today.