ST. JOHN'S COLLEGE
ROBERT PENSON LECTURE
Tuesday, 21 June 2005 at 5.00 pm
in the Garden Quadrangle Auditorium
Professor Lucia Tongiorgi Tomasi
Professor of Art History, University of Pisa
will give a talk entitled:
'Gardens of Knowledge'
The origins, function and role of the botanical garden in 16th and 17th
century Italy
Created in the 16th century, the botanical garden made possible
the transformation of the ancient study of medicinal plants into the modern
science of botany. The significance of this institution extended well
beyond its role as a tool for scientific research, however, since its
planning, layout, and myriad functions represented a fascinating expression
of Renaissance culture that can be analysed on several levels. Some of the
earliest gardens, in particular the Giardino dei Semplici of Pisa, will be
discussed to show how they provided not only open-air laboratories where
native and exotic species could be cultivated and studied, but also
displays of esoteric and neo-Platonic symbolism, museums of natural history
and even workshops for the production of botanical and zoological
illustrations of remarkable beauty and accuracy that confirm the
essentially scientific scope of these gardens.
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