A Botanical Affair: House Plants in Art

A Plant Sanctuary in Vienna

Ludwig Sigmundt, a 19th-century Austrian painter, captures the historic Palmenhaus Schönbrunn, a grand greenhouse in Vienna, Austria. In the painting, a solitary woman stands before a low wall lined with lush potted plants, gazing at them in quiet contemplation or perhaps admiration. The flowering plants bloom in an array of reds, pinks, and whites, creating a vibrant contrast to her dark attire. She is dressed in a long black gown typical of the period, her hair elegantly arranged in a chignon.

The scale of the greenhouse is suggested by the woman’s small figure against the soaring glass windows, which flood the space with soft natural light from a pale sky above. The overall effect is one of serenity, evoking a peaceful and meditative atmosphere.

Victorian Grace Beneath the Vines

Otto Eerelman, a 19th-century Dutch painter best known for his portraits of horses and dogs, offers a glimpse into refined domestic life in this richly detailed conservatory scene.

Here, a young woman is depicted in an elaborate pink and white Victorian gown as she reaches up delicately to tend to a wooden birdcage mounted on the wall, pausing in a tender moment with a yellow bird inside. The space around her is teeming with green life. Thick vines stretch across the glass-paned ceiling while potted tropical plants crowd the tiled floor and stone ledges, creating a lush, vibrant backdrop. A white calla lily blooms prominently in the foreground, and a watering can rests nearby, grounding the scene in the routines of plant care.

Greenhouse Rituals

Ludger Larose was a well-regarded Canadian church decorator and artist, educated at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris under the tutelage of renowned artists. He is well known for richly detailed scenes filled with potted plants, vibrant flowers, and lush greenhouse settings.

This painting captures a moment inside a thriving greenhouse with a young gardener at the center. The white of his shirt and the pink of the flowers he tends create a striking contrast against the dark tropical greens that surround him. Large palms fan out overhead, forming a canopy of lush fronds, while behind him rises a towering wall of tropical potted plants, elevated on benches and stands. The arrangement is designed with a dramatic effect, emphasizing the grand scale of the space and forming a living tapestry. The scene conveys a calm dedication to plant care and a quiet homage to the rituals of gardening.

Domesticity among Plants

Johann Philipp Eduard Gaertner, or Eduard Gaertner, a German painter celebrated for his precise depictions of urban architecture, was a leading figure in 19th-century architectural painting. He enjoyed the patronage of King Frederick William III of Prussia and Tsar Nicholas I of Russia during his lifetime. While best known for his cityscapes, this work is a rare interior scene, one of only four known by Gaertner.

The painting features the lush conservatory of Christian Carl Westphal, a prosperous Berlin wool merchant and dedicated horticulturist. The space serves as a refined dayroom, where Westphal’s second wife, Emilie Eleonore Dorothee Schultze, and their three children are shown surrounded by lush foliage and elegant furnishings. The composition offers a harmonious blend of domestic life and nature, reflecting the family’s appreciation for cultivated indoor spaces.

Potted Blooms

George Cochran Lambdin was an American artist educated at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in Philadelphia. After an early career painting sentimental Civil War scenes, he turned his attention to botanical subjects, capturing them with extraordinary care and precision. He spent the last 25 years of his life devoted to painting flowers.

In this serene still life, a cluster of flowering potted plants, including calla lilies, azaleas, red camellias, and yellow roses, is arranged on a wooden surface in terracotta pots. The scene is softly illuminated by indirect light, creating a gentle, contemplative atmosphere. Fallen blossoms scattered on the floor suggest the quiet passage of time and adding a sense of natural movement.

P.S. If you are a plant lover, be sure to check out our Flowers in Art Postcard Set. It’s filled with amazing floral masterpieces!