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Papaver somniferum (opium-valmue)

Unknown

1654

unspecified

From the collection of Statens Museum for Kunst

Floral

Dominant colour

Papaver somniferum (opium-valmue) is a 1654 unspecified by Unknown, held at Statens Museum for Kunst.

Who painted this?: Unknown
When & what style?: 1654
Where can I see it?: Statens Museum for Kunst

About this work

This painting shows three poppy flowers in soft light. One bud is still closed, its petals curled tight. Another is half-open, pale pink with a dusty center. The third is fully bloomed, white with a fuzzy texture. Green leaves and spiky seed pods fill the bottom, all on a plain beige background. The artist focused on the poppies’ quiet details—the way light hits the petals or the rough edges of the leaves. These plants are *Papaver somniferum*, the kind that produces opium. Check out the technique: watercolor to see how artists build soft colors layer by layer.