Dendrobium aurantiroseum, a New Guinea orchid
1983
watercolor
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
1983
watercolor
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
This painting shows a single orchid with soft pink petals and a green stem wrapped in tiny leaves. Around it, a tangle of ferns and moss fills the background, all drawn in delicate watercolor strokes. The colors are mostly muted greens and browns, with the orchid’s pink standing out. The artist focused on the orchid’s details, like the tiny hairs on its leaves and the way the petals fold. This kind of careful drawing was often used in scientific illustrations to show nature exactly as it appears. Check out the Victoria and Albert Museum to see more works like this.
