Tradescantia virginica
1809
watercolor
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1809
watercolor
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Dominant colour
Tradescantia virginica is a 1809 watercolor by Pierre Joseph Redouté, a Romanticism work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This painting shows a single purple flower with six petals, growing from a tall, slightly curved green stem. The leaves are long and narrow, with a soft, wavy edge. The background is plain white, letting the plant stand out clearly. The artist used watercolor and graphite on thin vellum, which gives the painting a delicate, almost translucent look. Notice how the light green leaves have subtle shading—this helps make the plant look three-dimensional. The artist focused on the flower’s details, like the tiny yellow center. Next, look up Redouté, Pierre Joseph to see how he painted other flowers with the same careful style.
