Vibrant Nature – Photographs by Jean-Baptiste Hugo 

The Orangerie at the Jardin des Plantes is hosting an exhibition of photographs by Jean-Baptiste Hugo, organized by the Friends of the Jardin des Plantes, in conjunction with the summer program of three exhibitions dedicated to his father, Jean Hugo (Montpellier, Sète, Lunel).

While the message conveyed by the still lifes of the Dutch masters of^{the 16th} and^17th centuries was to remind newly wealthy merchants of life’s impermanence and encourage them to return to less materialistic values, Jean-Baptiste Hugo’s *Natures vives* invite us to cultivate an attitude of reverence toward living things.

Showing these “Natures Vives” at the Orangerie serves as a reminder of the original purpose of the Jardin des Plantes, when it was founded by Henry IV, which was to advance and support the life sciences.

The exhibition will be accompanied by lectures, readings, and workshops organized by the Friends of the Jardin des Plantes.