A Wreath of Roses
1799
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
1799
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
This painting shows a lush wreath of red and pink roses with green leaves against a dark background. The roses look almost real enough to touch, with tiny water droplets on the petals. Mary Lawrance painted this in England in 1799. It’s interesting because Lawrance was one of the few women artists who specialized in botanical art back then. She made detailed plant studies popular with collectors. Look up Mary Lawrance (British, 1781–1845) to see more of her work.
