Citrus nobilis - King
1911
Imagine trying to catalog fruit varieties in 1911 without color photography—enter artist Elsie E. Lower. This vibrant study of a 'King' orange from Tampa, Florida, slices the fruit into two detailed views: a cross-section revealing juicy segments and pale seeds, and a vertical cut showing the stem and core. While this piece fits the early spirit of American Regionalism by focusing on local agriculture, it was actually a vital scientific tool for the USDA. These hyper-realistic paintings helped farmers across the country identify the best crops to grow before modern printing made color photos cheap.
- Technique
- Watercolor
- Material
- Paper
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