Vitis - Málaga
1909
This lush cluster of Malaga grapes, painted in 1909 by Elsie Lower, looks good enough to eat, sun-blushed spots and all! Lower was a talented botanical illustrator who worked for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, tasked with documenting fruit varieties to help farmers and growers. Notice the careful attention to the brownish patches on the green skins—a scientific detail that helped identify the exact grape variety. These vibrant watercolors were part of a massive government project to catalog the nation's agricultural bounty, creating a delicious snapshot of early 20th-century farming history.
- Technique
- Watercolor
- Material
- Paper
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