Anon. Yellow Bud Flower

British Fungi & Flowers: 1940s Studies

This picture forms part of an attractive collection of works that we have for sale dating from the 1940s depicting British flowers and fungi. The drawings utilise the strong graphic opacity of the gouache medium to convey these natural forms in a way that is at once bold and precise.

Mycology as a science developed in the 18th and 19th centuries—and hand in hand came the remarkably detailed scientific drawings that helped document and identify fungi taxonomy. Into the 20th century, a fascination with fungi has persisted amongst artists; and these drawings from the 1940s evidence the widening of this interest from that of the early scientific illustrators.

Such is the subject's appeal, an exhibition, 'Mushrooms: The Art, Design and Future of Fungi', was recently staged at Somerset House, London—looking at fungi’s colourful cultural legacy, as well as the promise it offers to reimagine our relationship with the planet. Artists that have engaged with fungi include American artist Cy Twombly, author Beatrix Potter and composer John Cage. By engaging with the natural world through art we can ultimately learn how to live in better harmony with it.