IDENTIFIERS
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id:	23109
accession number:	PD.267-1973

DATE AUDIT
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created:	Saturday 6 August 2011
updated:	Thursday 28 August 2025

DESCRIPTIVE DATA
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object type: This is a Chinese export watercolour depicting Solanum violaceum with two butterflies and a bee. The tree has a thorny branch with lobed green leaves and clusters of red and green fruits. The fruits are ripening from green to red.  There are also small purple flowers on the branch. Three insects are depicted: a large, detailed butterfly with orange, brown, and blue patterned wings in the upper right corner; a bee; and a smaller white butterfly. Each insect is rendered with careful attention to detail. The painting demonstrates the fine brushwork characteristic of Chinese export art from the late 18th or early 19th century, combing traditional Chinese flower-and-bird painting style and Western botanical illustration. Previously described as “branch with flowers, ripe and unripe berries, with airborne butterflies and insects”.
title:	drawing

LICENSING
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text license status:	CC0
image license status:	CC-BY-NC-SA

OWNERSHIP
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instutition: The Fitzwilliam Museum
department: Paintings, Drawings and Prints
collection:	Broughton Collection

STABLE URL
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url:	https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/23109


SUBJECTS
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plant
plant



TECHNIQUES
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bodycolour on paper
watercolour

CATEGORIES
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category: drawing

DATING
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culture:	19th Century

CREATORS
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maker: Canton workshop

DIMENSIONS
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dimension: Height
units: mm
value: 470

dimension: Width
units: mm
value: 362