Public Day at the Garden of Delights exhibition
Starting today, flowers will take centre stage in the flower beds of Kadriorg Park and the exhibition halls of the Kadriorg Art Museum! Beautiful roses, tulips, peonies, fritillaries and dozens of other flowers have been arranged in bouquets and wreaths and placed solemnly around the Virgin Mary, as well as adorning some dapper Dutch manor lords. The paintings, engravings and books on display tell the fascinating story of the relationship between humans and nature over more than two centuries. Admiring and learning about God’s creations led to the development of botany as a science. The discovery of new lands and the flourishing of trade enriched gardens through the introduction of many exotic plants. Beyond their beauty, the depictions of flowers and gardens have many hidden meanings, which this exhibition seeks to reveal.
Among the many exhibits, masterpieces by famous Flemish and Dutch painters, such as Jan Brueghel I, Clara Peeters, Anna Maria Janssens, Jan Davidsz. de Heem and David Teniers II, shine like bright stars.
Almost 300 exhibits from The Phoebus Foundation’s collection allow this fascinating story to be told in compelling and detailed ways. Another highlight is the exhibition’s design, created by the renowned Belgian fashion designer Walter Van Beirendonck, which offers a bold, contemporary take on the 17th century. This look at the timeless theme of floral beauty is enhanced by works of fashion artists. The designers and fashion houses represented include Richard Quinn, Rei Kawakubo and COMME des GARÇONS, Dries Van Noten and Walter Van Beirendonck.
The magnificent Garden of Delights exhibition has been assembled from the collections of The Phoebus Foundation in Antwerp, curated by Katharina Van Cauteren, Chief of Staff at the Foundation. The exhibition book was written by Sven Van Dorst, the head of the conservation studio of The Phoebus Foundation, who researched and conserved the flower paintings on display.
In addition to the English language book, an audio guide in Estonian, English and Dutch accompanies the exhibition.
Public day programme:
At 12 pm Family tour “Through the Flowers” in Estonian (duration 30 min., gathering point in the main hall of the palace)
At 1 pm Family tour “Through the Flowers” in Russian (duration 30 min., gathering point in the main hall of the palace)
From 1 pm to 4 pm Open workshop: making bookmarks from dried flowers. In the art classroom of the museum on the ground floor. A museum ticket is required for participation.
At 1 pm and 4 pm Exhibition tour in Estonian (duration 60 min, gathering point in the main hall of the palace)
At 2 pm and 5 pm Exhibition tour in Russian (duration 60 min, gathering point in the main hall of the palace)
At 3 pm The Wonderful Roses of Kadriorg. Special tour of Rose Hill, in Kadriorg Park, with the rose gardener Külli Kangur (gathering point in the main hall of Kadriorg Palace)
As an introduction to the tour, we will look at roses as depicted in 16th and 17th century paintings and manuscript books, so that afterwards we can compare these historical flowers with modern rose varieties. We will discover what has been achieved and what has been lost through breeding, how roses have been named in honour of various people, and how to care for these “queens of the garden” to ensure that they delight us with their abundant blossoms and lush branches.
Participation is free of charge with an annual pass to the Art Museum of Estonia.
