Indian Botanical Art: An Illustrated History
Spanning three centuries of extraordinary plant illustration, this volume gathers some of the finest botanical artwork to emerge from the Indian subcontinent, with particular attention to the flourishing output of the 18th and 19th centuries. Much of the material originates from the prestigious collections held at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, and a number of the paintings appear in print here for the very first time. What makes this especially compelling is the human story behind the images: skilled Indian artists, most of them historically overlooked, produced work that played a genuine and lasting role in documenting the region's extraordinary plant life. Their contribution deserves far more recognition than it has typically received, and this book goes some way towards setting that right. Sita Reddy's foreword grounds the collections within a broader, contemporary perspective, giving readers a thoughtful lens through which to appreciate what they're seeing. It's not all retrospective, either. The book closes by turning its gaze forward, introducing a newer generation of botanical artists working in India today, whose work carries the tradition into fresh and exciting territory. A rewarding read for anyone interested in art history, natural history, or the overlooked figures who shaped both.
- Author: Martyn Rix
- Publisher: Roli Books
- Genre: Decorative Arts
- ISBN: 978-8195256655
- Pages: 224 pages