All images via The British Museum
At age 72, (1700-1788) devoted herself to her art practice, taking up a form of decoupage to create an exquisite collection of botanical collages from dyed and cut paper. She interpreted many of the delicate specimens she encountered in Buckinghamshire while staying with her friend, the Duchess of Portland, through layered pieces on black backdrops. From the wispy clover-like leaves of an oxalis plant to the wildly splayed petals of the daffodil, the realistic works are both stunning for their beauty and faithfulness to the original lifeforms.
Known for her scientific precision, Delany labeled each specimen with the plant’s taxonomic and common names, the date, location of creation, name of the donor, and a collection number, the latter of which was used to organize all 985 collages in her Flora Delanica series. Together, the works create a vast and diverse , or compilation of botanicals and writings in the tradition of .
The British Museum houses most of Delany’s collages, which you can explore in that has information about the plants, artworks, and the option to zoom in on images of the pieces. You also might enjoy , a book that delves into the artist’s work and what it means to foster a creative practice.
Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $5 per month. The article appeared first on .
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