The Eternal Order in Nature: The Science of Botanical Illustration

25 July, 2011
Botanical Congress, Media releases

Botanical illustration incorporates an extraordinary range of plant representations from flower paintings to finely detailed drawings of plants used for botanical purposes.  As an artform it is often based in science and as a scientific document it is often viewed as an artwork. 

The Eternal Order in Nature: The Science of Botanical Illustration is a survey of scientific botanical illustration in Australia presenting some of the diversity and exquisite beauty its flora, most of which will be unknown to the viewer.  Presented by The Friends of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne, this exhibition is timed to coincide with the XVIII International Botanical Congress in July 2011 which, as a major international botanical event, will provide the perfect backdrop to the The Eternal Order in Nature.

Botanical illustration has had a dramatic resurgence over the last 20 years with major exhibitions being held around the world.  The Friends of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne, see The Eternal Order in Nature as a timely opportunity to showcase a number of works by approximately 30 of this country’s leading botanical illustrators to be exhibited alongside some rarely seen and treasured historical works from the State Botanical Collection.  This range of work will highlight the development of botanical illustration inAustralia and its historical and contemporary roles within the field of botany.  The desire to capture the innate beauty of plants is, however, inherent in every work.

The Eternal Order in Nature: The Science of Botanical Illustration will be held at Domain House Gallery, Dallas Brooks Drive, South Yarra, (opposite the National Herbarium).  From 18 July to 7 August 2011 daily from 10am to 5pm, till 8pm Wednesdays.  Professor David Mabberley will officially open the exhibition on 25 July 2011.  For exhibition enquiries or tickets to the opening please contact: The Friends of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne, on 03 9650 6398, email friends@frbgmelb.org.au or visit www.theeternalorderinnature.com

Phaeoceros carolinianus, Hornwort (illustration: Dianne Emery)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For more information:  call me on 0417 131 977,  niall@scienceinpublic.com.au or AJ Epstein on 0433 339 141 or email aj@scienceinpublic.com.au. We’ll be in the Media Room (214 from 8:30am Monday 25 July).