The Paper Garden
Part memoir, part biography, Molly Peacock’s The Paper Garden expertly weaves together the life of Mary Granville Pendarves Delany (1700-1788) and parallels from Peacock’s own life to tell the story of how Mrs. Delany created a new art form at the age of 72 years old. Her gorgeous paper flowers have amazed art lovers and inspired artists for centuries.
Before I picked up this book, I knew nothing about Mrs. Delany or her creative pursuits. The more I read, the more I connected with this passionate woman. As a fellow creative person, I understood Mrs. Delany’s struggles; I celebrated her triumphs and cheered her on as she painstakingly put together flower after flower. I also loved how she started this endeavour at an age where most people don’t have the physical, if not the mental capabilities, to pursue something so detail orientated. In this way she reminded me of my grandmother who, at over eighty years old, is still putting together gorgeous quilts.
I liked how Peacock paired certain flowers from Mrs. Delany’s vast collection with periods from her life. Each flower had its own meaning, and Peacock did a wonderful job selecting the right one to match a particular time in Mrs. Delany’s long, full life.
It was interesting to see how Peacock drew parallels from her own life and ended up telling her story alongside Mrs. Delany’s. Even though centuries separated them, it goes to show that women can connect to each other in a way that transcends time.
The Paper Garden is a book that would appeal to a variety of people, not just those who want a history of mixed media collages, but art lovers and people who enjoy a good biography. I am going to recommend this to my grandmother!
The Paper Garden Rating: ★★★★
Before I picked up this book, I knew nothing about Mrs. Delany or her creative pursuits. The more I read, the more I connected with this passionate woman. As a fellow creative person, I understood Mrs. Delany’s struggles; I celebrated her triumphs and cheered her on as she painstakingly put together flower after flower. I also loved how she started this endeavour at an age where most people don’t have the physical, if not the mental capabilities, to pursue something so detail orientated. In this way she reminded me of my grandmother who, at over eighty years old, is still putting together gorgeous quilts.
I liked how Peacock paired certain flowers from Mrs. Delany’s vast collection with periods from her life. Each flower had its own meaning, and Peacock did a wonderful job selecting the right one to match a particular time in Mrs. Delany’s long, full life.
It was interesting to see how Peacock drew parallels from her own life and ended up telling her story alongside Mrs. Delany’s. Even though centuries separated them, it goes to show that women can connect to each other in a way that transcends time.
The Paper Garden is a book that would appeal to a variety of people, not just those who want a history of mixed media collages, but art lovers and people who enjoy a good biography. I am going to recommend this to my grandmother!
The Paper Garden Rating: ★★★★