Pyrus communis Onondaga
1913
Ellen Isham Schutt painted this incredibly detailed 'Onondaga' pear in September 1913, capturing both its speckled yellow-green skin and creamy interior flesh with scientific precision. Working for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, she created thousands of these watercolors to document fruit varieties across America, essentially creating a visual catalog for farmers. The handwritten notes at the bottom reveal it was sketched from a specimen grown in Faulkland, Delaware, freezing a specific moment in agricultural history.
- Technique
- Watercolor
- Material
- Paper
Location: USDA National Agricultural Library