Manilkara zapota No
1906
This detailed botanical illustration captures the humble sapodilla fruit in striking detail, showing both its rough, brown exterior and the glossy black seeds hidden inside. Created by Ellen Isham Schutt in 1906, this piece is part of a massive government project to document fruit varieties across America. Schutt was a prolific artist for the USDA, painting thousands of specimens to help farmers identify the best crops. The handwritten notes at the bottom reveal it was sketched while the fruit was 'temporarily in Washington,' likely sent by a grower named Ernest Bessey for study.
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