Chicago Botanic Garden

Education — Lenhardt Library

Current Books & Book Reviews

PHOTO: bookcover

Christopher Beane and Anthony F. Janson.
Flower.
New York: Artisan, 2008.
cloth, 168 pp., ISBN 978–1–57965–352–1, $35.00.

A collection from the original works of Christopher Beane, an extraordinary artist who captures the beauty of flowers through a photographer's lens, were brought together by the distinguished art historian, Anthony Janson, for this significant edition on floral photography. Janson describes early influences on Beane's art and his brilliant career that followed. Then he traces the history of floral paintings to emphasize the importance of this artist on the art scene. As Janson remarks, "No creative photographer has taken pictures of such a wide variety of flowers or shown them in so many different ways." The images he created are stunning in conception and execution, and are considered breakthroughs in camera art media.

— Marilyn K. Alaimo, garden writer and volunteer, Chicago Botanic Garden.