Open full image Pin

The Blue Passion-flower

Robert John Thornton

1803

From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art

Romanticism Early 19th Century Floral

Dominant colour

The Blue Passion-flower is a 1803 by Robert John Thornton, a Romanticism work, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.

Who painted this?: Robert John Thornton
When & what style?: 1803 · Romanticism
Where can I see it?: Cleveland Museum of Art

About this work

You see a single blue passion-flower, petals spread wide, with a twisty vine and a few leaves. This print comes from a huge book called *The Temple of Flora*. Thornton hired top engravers to make each flower look almost alive. The techniques—mezzotint for deep shadows, stipple for soft texture—let the paper mimic oil paint or watercolor. Look up *mezzotint* next.

The story of this work

Overview

In the 18th century, new engraving and etching techniques offered a variety of tonal effects that enhanced botanical prints. While mezzotint (in which the plate is roughened and then the engraver works from dark to light creating different values) and stipple (dots create values) make it possible to create the rich tonal scale and velvety texture of oil paint, aquatint imitates the delicacy and transparency of watercolor and ink wash.

Read the full account in the museum source.