1407 Peaches and Blossom, var. unknown (Botanical Illustration) COMMISSION

Botanical Illustration. Artist Code 1407. Completed 4 October 2014. Original SOLD. Water colour on Aquarelle Arches 100% Hot Pressed cotton rag paper. Unframed size 12” x 16”. 

Brief was to produce a very accurate botanical illustration of a peach, including ripe fruit, branch, blossoms and cross section. The live foliage and fruit was provided by a near-neighbour and the blossoms from an old photograph I had. The commissioner was very happy with the result. The painting was commissioned as a birthday present for a very dear friend in China so I had to look up the background regarding Chinese history and the peach and discovered that it was to indicate (and wish) longevity for a particular person, and that all components, i.e. leaves, flowers, fruits etc should be in odd numbers rather than even, and that the blossoms should show buds as well as fully-out blossoms to indicate nature’s growing cycle.

Poem:

With blossoms pink and knobbly stone
And leaves of green all neatly shown
Rounded peach all sweet and pure
Hides a taste of such demure
A dewdrop sits on middle vein
Collected from the recent rain
A traditional Botanical Illustration
Leaves us brimming in admiration
A beautiful fruit with flower and leaves
Incredible what brush achieves
And dewdrops nestle on crinkled leaf
And nut removed from fleshy sheath
Pink blossom glows in sweet abundance
By precious bees to fruits transcendence
Then swelling by the autumn rain
The hairy fruit its girth is gained
And then we pluck them from the tree
Are glad to eat them for our tea!