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Hibiscus mutabilis with Two Butterflies and A Dragonfly: PD.278-1973

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An image of Drawing
An image of Drawing
Current Location: In storage

Titles

Hibiscus mutabilis with Two Butterflies and A Dragonfly

Maker(s)

Draughtsman: Canton workshop

Entities

Categories

Description

This is a Chinese export watercolour depicting pink cotton rose (Hibiscus mutabilis) with two butterflies and a bee. The illustration features a large, fully opened pink cotton rose with many layered petals in varying shades of pink, from pale to deeper rose. The flower displays the characteristic ruffled petal of cotton rose. On the right there are two buds in different stages of development - one green and one showing pink coloration. The plant has trifoliate compound, arranged naturally along the stems. A Chinese inscription at the lower left corner reads “furong hua 芙蓉花”, Hibiscus mutabilis. Three insects are depicted around the flower: a small reddish-brown dragonfly on the left; a large black butterfly with white spots and orange bands feeding on the main bloom; and another butterfly at the top right with intricate patterns of blue, orange, and white markings on its wings. 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 “flower in bud and in bloom, surrounded by butterflies and insects”.

Acquisition and important dates

Method of acquisition: Bequeathed (1973) by Fairhaven, Henry Rogers Broughton

School or Style

Chinese
Chinese export art
Chinese export watercolour

Materials used in production

Bodycolour

Components of the work

Support composed of paper
Paper Height 297 mm Width 442 mm

Techniques used in production

Watercolour : Bodycolour on paper

Identification numbers

Accession number: PD.278-1973
Primary reference Number: 23120

Audit data

Created: Saturday 6 August 2011 Updated: Thursday 28 August 2025

Associated departments & institutions

Owner or interested party: The Fitzwilliam Museum
Associated department: Paintings, Drawings and Prints

Citation for print

This record can be cited in the Harvard Bibliographic style using the text below:

The Fitzwilliam Museum (2025) "Hibiscus mutabilis with Two Butterflies and A Dragonfly" Web page available at: https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/23120 Accessed: 2025-12-23 12:05:38

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{{cite web|url=https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/23120 |title=Hibiscus mutabilis with Two Butterflies and A Dragonfly |author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2025-12-23 12:05:38|publisher=The University of Cambridge}}

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        <figcaption class="figure-caption text-info">Hibiscus mutabilis with Two Butterflies and A Dragonfly</figcaption>
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