Mothering Myths Book

Uncover the hidden botanical narratives woven through art history with Jean-Michel Othoniel's captivating exploration. During his 2012 stay at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, the French artist mined the archives of Isabella's legendary garden—cultivated by the first American woman to earn a horticulture degree—to decode floral symbolism across centuries. From intimate roses in van Dyck's portraits to commanding lilies in Renaissance altarpieces and mysterious palms in devotional works, Othoniel reveals how flowers have silently communicated meaning through tapestries, ironwork, and architectural details. This gorgeously illustrated volume serves as both an art-historical treasure and a delightful gift for anyone captivated by the intersection of nature, beauty, and artistic expression.