Physalis Alkekengi
1856
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1856
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Physalis Alkekengi is a 1856 ink by Alois Pokorny, a Impressionism work, depicting broad-leaved tree, held at National Gallery of Art.
You see a delicate Physalis alkekengi plant pressed onto paper. Its lantern-like orange husks glow in soft brown ink. The leaves and stems are sharp, like real. This isn’t just a drawing. The artist pressed the actual plant between metal plates, then printed it. A rare mix of nature and printmaking in 1856. Look closer at the edges. Tiny cross-hatching gives depth where the plant lifts off the page.
