Botanical watercolor drawing of a delicate stem of the caper plant, a butterfly, and close-up of the plant’s blossom.
Photo © President and Fellows of Harvard College
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Photo © President and Fellows of Harvard College

A life-like representation of a caper stem shows seven green alternate oval-shaped leaves. Two larger pods hang on the bottom of the stem and smaller buds alternate along the stem as it diminishes to the top where smaller folded leaves are not yet open. The plant’s blossom in the upper right features soft pink petals, yellow stamens inside forming a ring. A brown and white opened-winged butterfly in lower left, faces the bottom of the stem. A slight shadow underneath all gives dimensionality, the background is plain antique white. Manuscript of the Latin names in lower left.

Identification and Creation

Object Number
4.1965.1
People
Unidentified Artist
Previously attributed to Josef Abel, Austrian (1764 - 1818)
Title
Plant and Insect Study: Caper; Prosperina Butterfly
Classification
Drawings
Work Type
drawing
Date
18th-19th century
Culture
Austrian
Persistent Link
https://hvrd.art/o/311948

Physical Descriptions

Medium
Transparent and opaque watercolor with gum additions and traces of graphite on off-white modern laid paper
Dimensions
37 x 24 cm (14 9/16 x 9 7/16 in.)
Inscriptions and Marks
  • watermark: coat-of-arms: rampant lion, surrounded by LIBERTATE PRO PATRIA EIUSQUE; below: C & I HONIG (similar to Churchill 87)

Acquisition and Rights

Credit Line
Harvard Art Museums/Fogg Museum, Loan from the Collection of Edouard Sandoz
Object Number
4.1965.1
Division
European and American Art
Contact
am_europeanamerican@harvard.edu
Permissions

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Exhibition History

  • 32Q: 2240 18th Century, Harvard Art Museums, Cambridge, 10/22/2019 - 02/25/2020

Verification Level

This record was created from historic documentation and may not have been reviewed by a curator; it may be inaccurate or incomplete. Our records are frequently revised and enhanced. For more information please contact the Division of European and American Art at am_europeanamerican@harvard.edu