Mary Delany (1700-1788) and Georgie Hopton (1967-) at No.1 Royal Crescent and The British Library.
This exhibition at No.1 Royal Crescent, Bath is a masterful interplay of history and contemporary artistry, weaving together two extraordinary women—Mary Delany and Georgie Hopton—through their shared devotion to botanical beauty. It is a space where art meets nature in a tactile and deeply immersive experience, offering visitors the chance to explore craftsmanship and storytelling through design.
(Mary Delany)
Hopton’s hand-printed wallpaper and fabric installations act as a bridge between eras, inviting us into a world where Delany’s meticulous paper mosaics are contextualised within the warmth of a domestic setting. The floral motifs, carefully arranged, allow an intimacy to emerge—one that reflects how Delany herself would have shared her works among friends. This dialogue between past and present is an elegant nod to the notion of home as both a creative incubator and a place of artistic communion.
The meticulous nature of Delany’s collages is nothing short of astonishing. Enlarged for this exhibition, the exquisite precision of her Flora Delanica is amplified, giving us deeper insight into the hand-cut layers that mimic the organic beauty of real botanical specimens. The luminosity of the paper and her calculated choices in shade and form demonstrate an understanding not only of aesthetics but of scientific classification, elevating her work beyond decoration and into a realm where art and knowledge are symbiotic.
Hopton’s approach builds upon these themes, but instead of mimicking nature, she embraces its wildness. Her work is inherently modern—patterned, textured, and deeply rooted in a love for the landscape. The wallpapers and textiles she creates are not passive backdrops but active participants in the exhibition, enveloping Delany’s intricate compositions within a contemporary framework. This synthesis of design elements transforms the gallery into a living environment—where the legacy of craft, tradition, and materiality is both preserved and reimagined.
What is particularly striking is Hopton’s ability to create a narrative that extends beyond visual beauty. Her fascination with pattern-making, surface simulation, and the tension between organic authenticity and fabricated design makes this exhibition layered with meaning. There is an undeniable dialogue between the handmade and the mass-produced, an echo of Delany’s own ability to translate nature into paper with uncanny precision.
This exhibition ultimately invites reflection on the act of making—on patience, observation, and artistic obsession. It acknowledges Delany’s place in art history, ensuring her contribution is recognised not just as an eccentric pursuit but as a fundamental intersection between creativity and science. The pairing with Hopton’s contemporary interpretations further validates the timeless nature of botanical art.
To walk through this space is to witness craftsmanship at its finest. The exhibition is not merely a celebration of florals; it is a meditation on the ways in which artists—across centuries—continue to find new ways to interpret, embody, and elevate the beauty of the natural world. It is a triumph of design, history, and the enduring human impulse to create.
Mary Delany's and Georgie Hopton's Creative Process
(Georgie Hopton)
Delany was able to spontaneously cut wafer-thin tissue - which she sourced in all hues and shades - without any drawings or apparent planning. Sometimes using around 200 paper petals per flower, she pasted each cut-out onto paper prepared with black ink using glue probably made from egg white or flour and water.
Shading and depth were created by layering smaller coloured pieces over larger ones and she occasionally added details in watercolour. Nearly every collage includes a label with the plant's Latin and common name, the date and place the collage was created and the name of the specimen's donor. On some, Delany has noted on the reverse the Linnaean classification of the plant according to its number of stamens and gynoecia.
Hopton's collages of botanical-like images are created from a vast range of new and vintage papers sourced from the many different countries she has visited. A single artwork often incorporates an array of handmade and machine techniques from block- or screen-printed wallpaper or marbling to digital technologies - and often with the introduction of materials such as yarn or other elements.
Additionally, she makes unique prints with vegetables grown from her garden. The vegetables are not carved to create a pattern or image - as you might in a more traditional potato print - but used directly as the instrument to transmit paint onto her surface.
In contrast to the precise scientific labelling of Delany's collages, Hopton's titles range from playful to poetic to purloined with the aim of capturing the mood or ambitions for her fantastical botanical creations.
