Grootbos Florilegium: A first for botanical art
Opening eyes and hearts to the beauty and value of the landscapes that sustain us all – that is the wish of conservationist Sean Privett, the author of Grootbos Florilegium, a spectacular collection of intricate botanical illustrations by 44 of the greatest botanical artists in the world.
Celebrating 25 years of conservation in the Cape Floristic Kingdom, the Grootbos Florilegium is not only the first contemporary florilegium in Africa, it is also the first in the world to feature pollinators alongside plants. Containing over 120 original artworks by 44 local and international botanical artists, the volume captures the plant and insect life of the particularly diverse and charismatic Grootbos Private Nature Reserve, a narrow coastal belt on the southern tip of Africa that is home to over 900 species of fynbos.
With a dream to inspire a broader public about the fynbos and all its intricacies, Michael Lutzeyer, the founder of Grootbos, was inspired to use botanical art to showcase 25 years of dedicated botanical surveying and conservation both on the reserve and across the regional Walker Bay Fynbos Conservancy. Together with world-renowned botanical artist Vicki Thomas, who was instrumental in formulating the plan of a Grootbos florilegium, the Grootbos team embarked on coordinating, groups of artists to contribute to this ground breaking collection of botanical art.
The delicate artworks in the book were gathered over a period of four years, during which time the artists spent hours in the Grootbos landscape immersing themselves in the Cape Floristic Kingdom, observing both the plants and the pollinators living alongside them. It is this additional detail, which is captured in an accompanying ‘vignette’ to each artwork that illustrates these intricate relationships. The results are meticulously detailed artworks of floral structures, bursting seed pods, brightly coloured beetles, foraging ants, floating pollen, striped field mice and more.
Each double page spread depicts the artwork, highlights some prominent scientific facts but also has an accompanying engaging narrative text, revealing the fascinating stories about each of the plants. Each chapter includes artists’ notes, colour swatches, working drawings and archaeological details, revealing a glimpse into the creative process of botanical art and into the ancient origins of the area.
“My interaction with the people so passionately protecting this environment and the artists depicting it has been a richly enhancing and bonding experience – the pinnacle of a long career in botanical art,” says Thomas of her experience as the coordinator of Grootbos Florilegium and one of the featured artists.
Sean Privett, who is director of conservation at Grootbos, says, “We trust that Grootbos Florilegium will inspire and contribute towards a deeper interest in, and love for, the Cape flora and all its complexities.”
All profits from the sale of books, prints and Grootbos Florilegium tours of the nature reserve and the new Hannarie Wenhold Botanical Art Gallery will go towards the Grootbos Foundation, to be split equally between conservation and cultural programmes.
Grootbos Florilegium is available for purchase online and in-store at select retailers.
About the Grootbos Foundation
The Grootbos Foundation is a non-profit company established in 2003 by Grootbos Private Nature Reserve owners, the Lutzeyer family, with a vision of the conservation of the Cape Floral Kingdom and the upliftment of local communities.
The foundation aims to conserve, rehabilitate and protect the unique Cape Floral Kingdom, and to develop sustainable livelihoods for its people through ecotourism, enterprise development, sports development and education.
www.grootbosfoundation.org