At Monash University in Australia, the interdisciplinary journal Colloquy was created to present new work in literary and cultural studies and to encourage discussion among postgraduates and others in the literary community. In 2003, Judy Dyson published an article in Colloquy about the cultural and sexual imagery observable in botanical illustrations. In Botanical Illustration or Flower Painting: Sexuality, Violence and Social Discourse, Dyson states that botanical illustrations contributed to “cultural concepts of aesthetics, religion, and society” before becoming scientific tools. In her article, Dyson calls for a more thorough analysis of botanical illustrations to identify the role botanical illustrations play in “social and medical discourses concerning sexuality, race, and psychology.” She argues that a critique of botanical illustrations has not occurred because of their use in plant classification. Dyson suggests that, as an art form, botanical illustration is not as cut-and-dried as it may seem. Dyson is certain there is more than data in these illustrations and that here is more to learn about those who obsess over their creation. In order for a thorough analysis to be completed, Dyson proposes ending the protective status botanical illustrations are provided “within the privileged discipline of science.”
The work of Carl Linnaeus, Ferdinand Bauer, Walter Hood Fitch, Pierre-Joseph Redouté, Celia Rosser, Stanley Kelly, Georgia O’Keefe, and others are discussed. Dyson also refers to Shirley Sherwood’s A Passion for Plants and Keith West’s How to Draw Plants: The Techniques of Botanical Illustration as she builds her case about the sensual and suggestive imagery of botanical illustrations.
What do you think?
Read Judy Dyson’s article online
Literature Cited:
Dyson, Judy. 2003. Botanical illustration or flower painting: sexuality, violence, and social discourse. Colloquy. Issue Seven. Web. <http://colloquy.monash.edu.au/issue007/dyson.html>
Sherwood, Shirley. 2002. A Passion for Plants: Contemporary Botanical Masterworks from the Shirley Sherwood Collection. Weidenfeld & Nicolson. London.
West, Keith. 1996. How to Draw Plants: The Techniques of Botanical Illustration. Timber Press in association with The British Museum (Natural History). Portland, OR.
Both A Passion for Plants and How to Draw Plants are available at ArtPlantae Books.
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