The Botanical Magazine or Flower Garden Displayed: Plate 931, Phytolacca Decandra. Virginian Poke. [Phytolaca Americana]

1806

From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art

Dominant colour

The Botanical Magazine or Flower Garden Displayed: Plate 931, Phytolacca Decandra. Virginian Poke. [Phytolaca Americana] is a 1806 by Francis Sansom, a Romanticism work, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.

Who painted this?: Francis Sansom
When & what style?: 1806 · Romanticism
Where can I see it?: Cleveland Museum of Art

About this work

This image shows a single plant with three parts: a cluster of deep red berries on the left, a large green leaf in the center, and a branch of small pink flowers on the right. The berries hang in a neat row, while the flowers bloom in tight clusters along a thin stem. The leaf is wide with visible veins, and the whole plant is drawn in bright, flat colors against a plain background. The artist paid close attention to the plant’s details, like the texture of the berries and the shape of each flower. This kind of careful drawing was often used to study and share plants in the 1800s. If you like this, look up The Cleveland Museum of Art to see more botanical art.