Natural Inspiration

With a couple of hours to spare in London I took myself off to the V&A Museum in pursuit of examples of plants being used in art. In the Tapestry Room I immersed myself in the details of medieval hunting scenes where plants weave (!) their way through the action and there is also a beautiful example of a millefleurs tapestry. I identified pinks, daisies, campions and possibly butterwort, but would love to spend time with an expert who could talk me through the different plants.

But I was particularly taken by a pair of preliminary sketches by Philip Webb that accompany a newly restored William Morris hanging, featuring a fox and a hare, each with flowers in the foreground. I kept returning to them for another look.

The route to the Tapestry Room is through the magnificent bling of the Jewellery Galleries and here too there are plants to be found and admired.
One way and another it was a thoroughly enjoyable way to fill a couple of hours.