IDENTIFIERS ----------- id: 23127 accession number: PD.284-1973 DATE AUDIT ---------- created: Saturday 6 August 2011 updated: Thursday 28 August 2025 DESCRIPTIVE DATA ---------------- object type: This is a Chinese export watercolour depicting Crossandra infundibuliformis (firecracker flower or orange marmalade). The illustration features a tall branching stem with several clusters of small orange-red flowers at the terminal ends. The flowers display the characteristic tubular form of Crossandra, with four or five flattened petals arranged in clusters at the top of the stems. The plant shows typical Crossandra foliage with opposite, ovate leaves that have prominent venation and slightly serrated edges, rendered in various shades of green. In the lower left corner is a single detached flower shown in detail, displaying the characteristic flattened, fan-like form of Crossandra blooms in orange with visible stamens extending from the center. The stems are painted in green with natural branching patterns, and the overall composition shows the plant's typical upright growth habit with terminal flower clusters. The leaves are arranged in opposite pairs along the stems, showing the glossy texture and prominent veining characteristic of this tropical flowering plant. A Chinese inscription written in pencil at the lower left corner reads “shan yumeiren山虞美人”, common poppy (Papaver rhoeas). The painting demonstrates the fine brushwork characteristic of Chinese export art from the late 18th or early 19th century, combining traditional Chinese flower-and-bird painting style and Western botanical illustration. Previously described as “study of flowering shrub”. title: drawing LICENSING --------- text license status: CC0 image license status: CC-BY-NC-SA OWNERSHIP --------- instutition: The Fitzwilliam Museum department: Paintings, Drawings and Prints collection: Broughton Collection STABLE URL ---------- url: https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/23127 SUBJECTS ------------------- plant plant TECHNIQUES ---------- watercolour and bodycolour on paper watercolour CATEGORIES ------ category: drawing DATING ------ CREATORS -------- maker: Canton workshop DIMENSIONS ---------- dimension: Height units: mm value: 419 dimension: Width units: mm value: 518