Poster for the event.

An event revolving around two nature painters, Zeng Xiaolian and Marianne North, took place on March 12 at the 2025 London Book Fair in the United Kingdom.

The event reviewed the two artists' legendary lives through books and their works, showcasing the charm of the integration between science and art.

The book Autobiography of Zeng Xiaolian provides a panoramic review of Zeng Xiaolian's over 60-year artistic career, featuring valuable historical materials and over 300 paintings, showcasing his remarkable achievements in scientific illustration, nature painting, stamp design, and ink painting.

Participants pose for a group photo.

Marianne North: A Very Intrepid Painter, authorized by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, presents over 100 botanical paintings by North and her global exploration stories, gaining popularity among readers since its release.

Lydia White, head of the publishing department of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, stated that the publication of Marianne North: A Very Intrepid Painter is a significant result of cooperation between Kew and Phoenix Publishing and Media Group.

In her address, Wang Yun, counselor of the Chinese Embassy in the UK, said that the two books' joint appearance reflects the mutual concern of both China and the UK for nature and culture. The Chinese Embassy in the UK encourages cultural ties between institutions of both countries to expand cooperation further and enhance mutual understanding, she added.

Zhang Chaoyang, chairman of PPMG, and Lydia White, head of Kew's publishing department, shows off the reproduction of Zeng's painting Chinese Plants Influencing the World.

Zhang Chaoyang, chairman of PPMG, emphasized in his speech that the differences between the East and the West do not signify barriers but instead represent the starting point for cooperation. The successful hosting of this event showcased the unique charm of nature paintings in Eastern and Western cultures and laid a solid foundation for further cooperation between China and the UK in the publishing field.

Subsequently, Zhang highlighted the event with a painting presentation ceremony, presenting a reproduction of Zeng's painting Chinese Plants Influencing the World, created for the Beijing International Horticultural Exhibition in 2018, as a gift to Kew.