Study of Common Hogweed (<i>Heracleum sphondylium</i>)
1650
watercolor
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
This painting shows a clump of tall plants with big leaves and small white flowers growing by water. The brushstrokes are loose, letting the pale yellow and beige colors blend softly. Some leaves are dark at the edges, while others fade to near-white near the stems. The artist focused on how light hits the plants, making them look almost glowing. The water below is just a faint, wavy line—barely there. Check out the Victoria and Albert Museum for more quiet, detailed plant studies like this.
