Art & object highlights from the 'In Bloom' #exhibition @ashmoleanmuseum.bsky.social: 'Orchids' by Sir Lawrence Alma Tadema, 1879; 19th-century teaching models of plants; an 18th-century pharmacy jar and a 17th-century floral still life by Rachel Ruysch; a recent tapestry by Alexandra Daisy Ginsberg
The city of Jericho derives its name from the Canaanite word 'reah', meaning fragrant. The shape and decorative glazing of this flask reflect the influence of ancient Egypt on Canaan, who by this period (the Late Bronze Age) enjoyed a thriving trade with their Mediterranean neighbours.
💙AN1955.538
A small cosmetic jar in a long bulb shape. The body is a shade of turquoise blue with black detailing and neck.
This small blue perfume flask from Jericho, in ancient Canaan, dates back to 1650–1550 BCE.
Cosmetics and toiletries were highly valued in many ancient societies, with both men and women wearing eye make-up and using perfume, and even using various forms of hair dye.
The diagonal stripes at the hem are simplifications of the more elaborate waves and rocks that border earlier robes.
🐉 Man's formal robe with clouds and dragons, 1801–1900. Embroidered silk, 137cm length. EA1975.29.
The blue robe is embroidered with auspicious and Buddhist motifs such as bats, conch shells, and eternal knots amid stylised clouds. The dragons on the main body and borders are made of gold-wrapped thread.
Nomadic in origin, the Manchu did not customarily use silk, but wore wool and furs that were suitable for riding and hunting. On this robe, the frontal vent and horseshoe-shaped cuffs are vestiges of that heritage.
An intricately embroidered dark blue kimono. It has dragons, flowers and shells embroidered onto it.
An intricately embroidered dark blue kimono. It has dragons, flowers and shells embroidered onto it.
This formal robe would have been worn by a high-ranking official, possibly at the Chinese imperial court.
The shape is based on a traditional Han Chinese design with some adaptations to the clothing style of the Manchu rulers of the Quing dynasty.
It was found in Herculaneum, an affluent Roman town that was destroyed, and subsequently preserved by an eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 CE.
✨ Gold bulla, c. 1–79 CE. ANOldfield.1
This particular bulla is exceptional because it is made of gold, which marked its owner out as a member of the Roman elite: leather, cloth, lead and ceramic were used by the less wealthy.
A gold bulla, a disc shaped necklace with gold wire fastening
This is a gold bulla, an amulet given to Roman boys on eight or nine days after they were born.
Bullae would be worn around the neck and their purpose was to protect the wearer from evil spirits and to proclaim them as freeborn citizens.
Visitors walking through the In Bloom exhibition.
An artwork of a poppy seed head next to a scent station.
🌷Plan your visit today: www.ashmolean.org/exhibition/i...
🏛️ Ashmolean Members enjoy free unlimited entry with no need to book.
📷 Photos by Hannah Pye.
A museum visitor observing photographs by Kate Friend.
A hand holding a magnifying glass up to a painting.
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ @guardian
"Consistently illuminating" @theobserveruk
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ @thetimes
"Much to savour" @telegraph
Step inside In Bloom and journey from Oxford to the farthest corners of the world and back, uncovering the global stories behind some of Britain’s most beloved blooms.
A few lines loosely frame the drawing, which has been cut from a larger sheet.
🦄 A maiden with a unicorn, mid to late 1470s, by Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519). Drawing, 9.5 x 7.5cm. WA1855.83.1
Leonardo has worked fluently with pen and brown ink, using vigorous parallel hatching for shading and rippling strokes for the unicorn's mane and coat. His economical treatment of the tree and plants makes for a light, breezy setting.
A drawing of a seated young girl beside a unicorn who is laid down.
The Italian artist, engineer and scientist Leonardo da Vinci was born on this day in 1452.
In this charming composition a young woman looks out at the viewer, proudly indicating a unicorn kneeling beside her. She holds a coiled rope attached to his collar.
💙💚 Bowl with blue and green decoration, 801–900 CE. Earthenware, 20.2 cm diameter. EA1978.2141
Occasionally the Iraqi potters were content to leave their products completely plain, like the Chinese originals, but more often they preferred to decorate them, using the white as a ground for the blue (cobalt) and green (copper) designs.
See it on display in Gallery 31 on Level 1.
A round bowl with a geometric pattern in blue and green. The base colour is an off-white cream.
This 9th century Iraqi bowl represents the beginnings of the luxury ceramics industry in the Islamic world, and of one of the great world traditions in ceramics.
To imitate imported white Chinese porcelain, the Islamic potters used an opaque white glaze over an earthenware body.
A carved gold ojime bead depicting intricate flowers and leaves
A carved gold ojime bead depicting intricate flowers and leaves
This tiny object measures just 1.6cm across!
In honour of spring finally springing, we are sharing this beautiful carved gold ojime decorated with flowers.
An ojime is a traditional Japanese bead used as a fastener for inrō , the small tiered containers worn on a kimono.
🌸 EA1956.3792
In the instructions related to the drawing Ruskin seems to have been more interested in the fritillary's relationship to other plants, calling it the best wild type of the true lily.
🌸 Snake’s-Head Fritillary, 1861, watercolour by John Ruskin (1819–1900). WA.RS.ED.013
The drawing was first catalogued in 1870, when Ruskin included it in the Educational Series, as "Lily, for Artemis". In his entry for the drawing in the 1878 catalogue of the series, Ruskin noted that it was well-painted, although the outline was 'utterly blundering and clumsy'.
A watercolour of a single snakes-head fritillary flower on a stem. The purple and pink flower head droops down.
Delicate purple, pink and even white snake's head fritillary plants, with their bell-like flowers, can be seen for a short window in early spring.
This 1861 drawing is by John Ruskin and shows a single snake's-head fritillary stem and flower.
The sphinx became part of Greek mythology as the monster who terrorised Thebes until Oedipus solved her riddle. The sphinx on this plate doesn't appear to have a defined role: she is still on her way from east to west.
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Detail of the sphinx design.
The plate was made during a time when there was increasing trade between the Aegean & the Eastern Mediterranean, where the sphinx originated. Images of creatures such as the griffin and sphinx travelled westwards. These were then adopted locally as pottery designs.
A plate decorated with the an image of a sphinx with a lion’s body, a bird’s wings and a woman’s head.
👀 A closer look at the object that inspired today's animation by the talented Eilidh Morley.
This plate shows a sphinx with a lion’s body, a bird’s wings and a woman’s head.
It was made around 600 BCE, over 2,600 years ago. The colour of the clay suggests that it was made on Rhodes.
This animation is a part of a series by talented student illustrators and animators from universities across the UK. Their inspiring works respond to artworks and objects in the Museum’s collection.
A sphinx brought to life by Eilidh Morley ✨
For this beautiful animation, Eilidh references a plate made over 2,600 years ago on Rhodes. The plate features a striking design of a sphinx with a lion’s body, a bird’s wings and a woman’s head.
🪽Rhodian plate with sphinx design, c. 600 BCE. AN1885.631
Using ukiyo-e woodblock printing techniques, his works are characterised by their delicate, subtle colours.
🐒 Monkey (macaque) on a willow branch, 1900, Ohara Koson (1877–1945). Colour woodblock print, 23.8 X 25 cm. EA1989.177
A Japanese colour woodblock print with a monkey sitting on a willow branch. It is muted in colour, mostly greys.
A melancholy monkey is skillfully captured in this wonderful colour woodblock print by Japanese artist Ohara Koson.
Born in Kanazawa in 1877, Koson was a master of kachō-ga (bird and flower pictures) but also created numerous works of other animals during a prolific career.
The holes are still visible as little dots on the paper.
Raphael gave detailed attention to every aspect of the Transfiguration altarpiece, which was completed by assistants following his untimely death at the age of 37.
The painting is now in the Vatican.
✍️ WA1846.209
