Francesca Leoni

About The Author

Francesca Leoni has been curator of Islamic art at the Ashmolean Museum since 2011, following curatorial and research roles at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (2008–2011), Rice University (2008–2010), and the Metropolitan Museum of Art (2007–2008). Her recent books include the co-edited volume Islamicate Occult Sciences in Theory and Practice (Leiden, 2020), Aegean Legacies: Greek Island Embroideries from the Ashmolean Museum (London, 2021) and the forthcoming exhibition catalogue In Bloom: How Plants Shaped Our World (Oxford, 2026).

Books by Francesca Leoni

In Bloom

How Plants Changed Our World

By Francesca Leoni, Stephen Harris, David Berry, Martyn Rix, Vinita Damodaran, Mike Webb, India Cole and Lynn Parker
A journey through art and material culture on the transformational impact of plants and plant collecting. Accompanies a major exhibition to be held at the Ashmolean from March to the end of August 2026.
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