Written by
Sabina
Plants are beautiful design objects in their own right. So much so, that artists and designers have drawn inspiration from natural forms for their own work, whether recreating the shapes of plants with paper and enamel, or reproducing the leaves on porcelain and canvas. From world-famous painters to emerging designers, we've rounded up three beautiful works of art, to show you the plants that inspired them.
Hermès "Passifolia"
At the start of 2020 French fashion house Hermès unveiled a new tropical dinnerware set, the fruit of thousands of hours of delicate craftsmanship. Artist Natalie Rolland-Huckel, who designed the collection, was inspired by a botanical garden near her house and retro photographs of the jungle to create an intricate and profound profusion of jungle plants and flowers across the slimmed down 30-piece set, perfect for any paradise jungle interior. They named the set "Passifolia", a reference to the botanical name of the passionflower, a recurring motif in the artwork. Look closely at the collection and you can identify Calathea orbifolia and Calathea zebrina, plus Monstera Monkey Mask, Areca palm, begonia and strelitzia. Each piece is hand-finished with a gold rim and the maker's mark engraved underneath.
Jewellery in organic forms
The trailing vines of climbing plants inspired designer Bea Bongiasca to create a collection of earrings, rings, necklaces under the punning collection title "You're so vine!" Bongiasca, who studied at Central Saint Martins and now works in Milan, recreated the curls and trails of climbing vine plants in bright enamel. Gold and silver provide the framework for twirls and snakes of green, red, purple and white enamel, creating a deep jungle fantasy.
Matisse and the Monstera
It would be impossible to write an article about art and house plants without mentioning the master, Henri Matisse (1869-1954). The French artist, known for his beautiful paintings and colourful gouache collages, owned and loved his collection of Monstera deliciosa, which provided the inspiration for several artworks in his life. Some of his most famous cut-outs, like La Gerbe (1953), below, evolved from observing the beautiful fan-shaped leaves of a mature Monstera.
