The Dragon Arum, Black Calla or Solomon's Lily
1803
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
1803
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
Dominant colour
The Dragon Arum, Black Calla or Solomon's Lily is a 1803 by Robert John Thornton, a Romanticism work, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.
This painting shows a single black calla lily standing tall in a simple glass vase. The flower’s dark center contrasts sharply with its pale petals, giving it a dramatic look. Soft shadows and delicate light play across the leaves. Botanical artists in the 1790s used new print methods to make flowers look almost real. They could mimic the softness of watercolor or the depth of oil paint with tools like mezzotint and aquatint. Check out the Cleveland Museum of Art to see this work in person.
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.
Robert John Thornton (1768–1837) was a British artist.
See the richer artist page
