Sensational Bouquets by Christian Tortu: Arrangements by a Master Floral Designer Hardcover – March 1, 2001

His approach and philosophy are truly original. The photos are beautiful. Not your average how to book, this is art. A great purchase.

beautiful coffee table book

I was excited when Sensational Bouquets arrived, but soon realized this book was not what I had expected it to be. I assumed, incorrectly, that this beautiful book would include some "how to" information about creating similar arrangements for my own home. This is clearly a coffee table book, a gorgeous one at that, but if you are looking to learn how to re-create amazing arrangements for yourself, you won't find any help included within these pages.This is strictly a picture book, and if that is what you are looking for, look no further this is it. However, if you desire some specific insight into how to create your own sensational bouquets, better to look elsewhere.

I got hooked on his designs while in Paris. If you are ever there you MUST visit his shop(s)!!

I was very disappointed with the fact that the cover was missing. That is the most beautiful part of the book. It said gently used but very good condition. It wasn't what I expected although the interior of the book was fine.

I enjoyed this book very much. Sensational Bouquets is rich in new thoughts about what flowers and plants represent, filled with novel arrangements, and is enriched by outstanding photography of those arrangements. After reading and viewing this book, you will never think about nature and natural beauty in quite the same way. You will be the richer for the experience, because your sense of beauty will expand as a result.Christian Tortu grew up on a truck farm in Anjou, and is proud of his agricultural roots. Now he designs backdrops for fashion shows and the Cannes Film Festival. He operates floral shops in major cities around the world.Let me share a little of his philosophy, as described in the many sections he wrote for the book. "Each plant is a fragment of a landscape . . . ." In his arrangements, he creates that sense of landscape in a way that I have never seen before in flower arrangements. Nature is palpable in them."If man were to stop rushing around for one moment, he might take a look at flowers -- and then take a closer look." I remember having that experience in the orchid garden in Honolulu. I was enthralled with the beautiful blossoms in my 20 minute self-guided tour. As I was about to leave, an elderly gentleman asked me if I would like to have some help in looking around. I agreed, and spent the next three hours going over the same ground with him. Except I saw about 100 times as much with his help. I was astonished at how many delightful orchids I had totally missed in my haste (and I had thought I was being leisurely)."In time, his convictions would crumble, and he would realize classification is fruitless even beyond flowers." People love to judge, and that judgment gets in the way of really seeing and experiencing life. So these arrangements are a metaphor for breaking down our closed mental sets.The basic premise is that "all flowers are created equal." Weeds and shrubbery get as much attention as rare orchids. And the moment of perfection is not all that is explored. " . . . [E]very stage of the flower is a moment that deserves attention." One bouquet even captures burned foliage and flowers after a fire. Seeing these images makes one realize the truth of these observations. " . . . [I]n the name of harmony, each one [arrangement] has its own touch of anarchy."Mr. Tortu changes things in terms of color, type of composition, and form. I was especially fascinated by his many monochromatic arrangements, especially the green bouquets.The book is done in sections: Genesis; Revolution(s); Crossroads; and the Chronicle of a Black Bouquet. Using these themes makes it easier to appreciate the statements his designs make.Here are my favorites in the book:Agave foliage with euchasis in gray wax vasesGreen tomatoes and basil, tomato flowers, dog rose fruit and vine foliateGreen arum lilies, tea grass, viburnum, and narcissus budsGarlic flower and nasturtiumNasturtium, wild strawberries, and blackberriesPrivet berries and King Arthur orchidsLime tree branches and irisVioletsWhite hyacinth, and catmintOsage orange, pears and chayote, quince, eggplant, and begoniaAfter you enjoy this delightful book, I suggest that you take some other element of nature and see how arranging it differently changes your perceptions. Now that it is spring, you could start by taking fresh shoots and making arrangements of them in new combinations, new shapes, and in different types of containers.Open your mind to the potential of new combinations, expressed in new ways!

What an artist Christian Tortu is. I am fascinated with the photos. It is a wonderful coffee table book or for dark cold days in winter.

This book is at best a coffee table book. I didn't realize when I purchased this book that it is a mere flower pictorial and does not lend itself to teaching anything really about flowers or how to arrange. But I give this book props for it's beauty and picture layout.

ouvrage très utile pour usage professionnel d'une jeune fleuriste en formationbien fait, belle référence.aurait eu une 4e étoile si le commentaire d'amazon n'obligeait pas à dire "jadoooore" !

写真もとてもきれいで、装丁もしっかりしているので好感が持てます。中にはとても斬新なものや、バランスのすばらしいブーケがあって中々見ごたえがあると思います。奇抜なものが多いとはいえませんが、新鮮でセンスのいいものが詰まっているので、この手の本の中では上等の部類に入ることは間違いなし！おいしい紅茶を飲みながら、のんびり眺めるだけで幸せです。

フラワーアレンジメントを習っていないので、何とも言えないのでうが、自分で作るのには、畏れおおいという感じでした。実用書として参考にするのには難しいのかもしれませんが、芸術作品としては本当に刺激的で、花の分野以外の方でも、クリエイティブな事に興味がある方なら、誰でも感じるものがあると思います。単純に花をこう生けましょう…というのではなく、構成など本当に色々な分野の方が参考に出来ると思います。