Product Description

The scent of lavender fills the air in the French region of Provence. Hans Silvester, who has lived in Provence for almost 40 years, has photographed lavender in all four seasons, capturing the changing colors, shapes, and formal beauty of the plant. This vibrant new edition of the 1996 original features an updated design and a smaller format. The stunning photographs, 40 of which are new to this edition, are complemented by a revised text and the addition of informative captions.

As Silvester's photographs show, the fields of lavender encapsulate the sometimes contradictory nature of Provence: the rich, potent purple of summer contrasting with the subdued amber of autumn; the hard, gray earth of winter giving way to the tender green of spring. His images also reveal the area's varied terrain, from broad plains to hills and mountains, where scattered farms form a lavender patchwork on the rocky slopes. The text, by fragrance expert Christiane Meunier, recounts the history of lavender, which, as this sumptuous volume demonstrates, remains an essential element of the character and beauty of Provence. AUTHOR BIO: Hans Silvester, an acclaimed photographer and member of the Rapho agency, lives in Provence. He has published close to 20 photography books, including Abrams' Horses of the Camargue, Desert Eves: An Indian Paradise, and H2O: The Beauty & Mystery of Water. Christiane Meunier is a professional in the fragrance industry. She has published several books and articles on the history and economy of lavender.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #317122 in Books
• Published on: 2004-09-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 128 pages

From Booklist
This work comprises 132 opulent color photographs taken in the French region of Provence. Silvester photographed lavender and its hybrid, lavandin, in every season, lovingly capturing the ever-changing shapes and colors in the region's mountains and plains. Meunier's text, augmented by six black-and-white photographs, offers a brief history of the plant--it has grown naturally in Provence since ancient times, and since about 1900, it has been grown commercially--and explains how the plant is cultivated and harvested, then describes its medicinal and therapeutic uses. George Cohen

Language Notes
Text: English (translation)
Original Language: French

About the Author
Hans Silvester, an acclaimed photographer and member of the Rapho agency, lives in Provence. He has published close to 20 photography books, including Abrams' Horses of the Camargue, Desert Eves: An Indian Paradise, and H2O: The Beauty & Mystery of Water. Christiane Meunier is a professional in the fragrance industry. She has published several books and articles on the history and economy of lavender.

Customer Reviews

Stunning book and informative as well for any lavender lover
A true lavender lover should own this book in my opinion if for no other reason that its beautiful lay out of the lavender of Provence thru all the seasons, in photographs and words. The books cover grabs your attention and as I sat and savoured the richness of the colour of the lavender I found myself actually smelling the growing flower, as if I were right there. On pages 56,57,58 I smiled as I looked at the almond trees that were dotted throughout the fields of lavender. Almonds being another delicious treat in France as well as here in California.

The one photo on page 83 of the old stone building in the midst of the fall lavender that has been harvested and the plants now resting, reminds me a great deal of a painting that Georgia O'Keeffe would have painted had she seen the lavender field shown.

Love the photos on pages 94 and 95 showing the sheep grazing amongst the lavender and the large field of lavender surrounded by vast fields of wheat, which remind me of areas around me, here in California. No wonder so many French settlers came to my area of California in the 1800's.

Then there are the winter photos of lavender fields at rest, with on beautiful photo on page 112 showing a man with his herd of goats, which is another reminder of the beautiful simplicity of life in Provence. Page 113 show a large over view of sleeping lavender field with sleeping vineyards and nut trees as well. Anyone who thinks nature is dead in winter need on view this photo as well as the one on page 115 with the fresh snow, tops of lavender plants under mounds of fresh snow and a path of what appears to be rabbit tracks in the snow.

The photos in combination with the beginning text of the book where one reads about the rich history of lavender in this region of France and how it is cultivated and used makes this a book that I am so happy I bought.

STUNNING pictures plus comprehensive text on a fascinating subject....
This is a SUPER-sleeper of a coffee table book. The info on this valuable herb is fascinating (do you know the difference between lavender and lavendin?), BUT some of the pictures of the countryside -- specifically the ones taken when the lavender rows are in brilliant purple (okay, lavender) against the surrounding greenery, soil, and trees -- are of a rare and surreally stunning beauty. Great production quality on heavy, semigloss stock. Get this bargain book for the visual exhilaration alone!

Also -- DO look into lavender essential oil, if you think this is just another lightweight "fragrance" herb. Lavender, besides having near-magical deodorizing properties, yields an essential oil so mild it is said to be usable on infants, ingestable in small quantities, and can be (usefully) poured on open wounds. Only sandalwood oil is reputed to be so innocuous, in addition to having potent healing/balancing properties.

In my experience, lavender can disinfect gum conditions, and a drop in the mouth in the evening cuts all craving for late night snacks! A few drops diffused in a room (or just brushed over the bedding, etc.) can transform stuffiness into a light, clean ambiance. Why not go for the whole knowledge/experience package?...

lovely book of photos
Very good photos of the lavender fields in all seasons. Excellent, informative and well-researched introduction. My only regret is that the print seems a bit gray and the brightness of the fields and contrasting colours in the photos are not optimized by this.