Transylvania’s picturesque wild plants on display at MNAR, seen through Prince Charles’ eyes

Charmed by the exquisite natural beauty of Transylvania, Prince Charles have asked some of the best artists in the world to paint the endangered wild plants in that Romanian region.

“Wild Flowers from Romania. A botanical history” exhibition, curated by Irina Neacsu, is bringing for the first time in Romania the royal floral album The Transylvania Florilegium, a project initiated by HRH Prince Charles of Wales, which is documenting the wild flora in Transylvania.

Designed as a dialogue between the floral painting and the botanical scientific illustration, the exhibition presents the masterpieces of some great Romanian painters like Nicolae Grigorescu, Ștefan Luchian, Ion Țuculescu etc., next to the works of one of the first botanist artists in Romania, Angiolina Santocono, whose works have laid the foundations of the Botanical Museum within the Botanical Garden in Bucharest.

The Transylvania Florilegium is the result of a six-year study effort, that brought together botanists and botanist artists and painters from all over the world. Overall, at least 70 artists, designers and craftsmen were involved in this album. They came to Romania, studied the beauty of the iconic meadows and plants of Transylvania and transposed them in the exhibition in two collection albums, dressed in gold leaf and goat skin, which were also displayed on Thursday at MNAR by Prince Charles’ biologist, who coordinated the teams of artists involved in this project.

The prince’s biologist, John Akeroyd, said that Romania should be proud of its rich and diverse wild flora in the country.

The exhibition is opened as of today, April 12 until May 5, at the Romania’s National Museum of Art – MNAR, Kretzulescu Halls (49 Calea Victoriei).