Polygonatum multiflorum Monch
1856
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1856
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This is a dried plant pressed flat on paper. The leaves are long and pointy, arranged in pairs along a thin stem. Small clusters of flowers hang near the top, and the whole thing is a light brown color. The plant was flattened between metal plates and printed like a sketch. This method makes it look almost like a sketch of a real plant. Check out the technique: cross-hatching to see how artists use lines to create depth.
