CHATSWORTH is in bloom and not only in the garden. A new exhibition opening on March 15 at the Derbyshire country house draws inspiration from flowers and plants to create what curator Allegra Pesenti calls ‘a gathering of gatherings’. Her eclectic selection of pieces—whether Domenichino’s Madonna della Rosa or 18th-century floral lace collars—traverses eras and art forms to raise questions about the environment, but also convey a message of hope. ‘There is no more poignant time than now to be focusing on flowers and all that they represent amid the dramatic climatic changes the world is experiencing and the scourge of the environmental crisis,’ explains Dr Pesenti. ‘In Nature, there is vulnerability, but also resilience and adaptability; death is followed by rebirth and regeneration; beauty is often accompanied by horror;…
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Country Life (Digital) - 1 Issue, March 12, 2025