Enfilade

Mary Delany, Crinum Zeylanicum (Hexandria Monogynia), 1778, paper
(London: The British Museum, 1897,0505.248)

◊    ◊    ◊    ◊    ◊

From The British Museum and Beningbrough Hall, where this touring exhibition is first on view:

The Botanical World of Mary Delany
Beningbrough Hall, North Yorkshire, 10 September 2024 – 23 March 2025

The exhibition presents over 30 photographic images of English artist Mary Delany’s pioneering and inspirational ‘paper mosaiks’ of plants and flowers, displayed side by side in a way not possible in real life, due to their fragility and existence in bound volumes. The display encompasses high-resolution photography of some of Delany’s most spectacular works and details the inspiration and drive behind her output, including her original technical process and the legacy she has left. These stunning images reveal Delany’s incredible precision in creating scientifically accurate representations of botanical specimens. Visitors are able to explore and appreciate the delicacy and skill that Delany employed, throughout her impressive oeuvre of work, which she only began at the age of 72.

Also on view at Beningbrough Hall are fascinating historic objects by women artists from the National Trust’s collections. Encounter new sculptures by Rebecca Stevenson in the Great Hall. Immerse yourself in the interactive origami room designed by York artist Kate Buckley, and admire abstract photography collages by York St John Fine Art student Amy Martina.

The British Museum Unseen series is a touring offer that explores a variety of stories about the British Museum collection, loaned as a digital package to provide partners with maximum flexibility.