Mock lime (aglaia odorata), zhen zhu lan or mi zi lan
1800
paint
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
1800
paint
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
Mock lime (aglaia odorata), zhen zhu lan or mi zi lan is a 1800 paint by Unknown, a Romanticism work, depicting Broad-leaved Tree, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.
This painting shows a single branch with glossy green leaves and small clusters of yellowish flowers. A few flowers have wilted, their petals curling into brown edges. The stems and leaves are detailed with careful shading, and the whole piece sits against a plain white background. The artist focused on the plant’s natural decay—some flowers fresh, others fading. This was common in 19th-century botanical art, where scientists studied plants by drawing them precisely. Next, check out the Victoria and Albert Museum to see more works like this.
A rectangular watercolour painting with a fine-line border shows small, round, five-parted yellow flowers with five anthers arranged in a bell-shaped tube, clustered in leaf axils and blooming in summer and autumn. The delicate sprays of flowers are traditionally used to perfume tea. Acquired by the Asia Department in 1886, the source and method of acquisition remain unspecified in the department’s records.
Read the full account in the museum source.
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