A Species of Ipomoea
Draughtsman: Canton workshop
This is a Chinese export watercolour depicting a species of Ipomoea. There are two open flowers with five petals in a soft lavender hue and yellow stamens at their centers. The plant has heart-shaped leaves in varying shades of green, with some showing reddish-brown edges or tips. Thin, spiral tendrils extend from various points along the stems, demonstrating the climbing nature of the plant. The stems are depicted in a light green color and wind gracefully through the composition, creating a sense of natural growth and movement. Several unopened flower buds are placed along the stems, painted in a lighter shade of purple. In early 19th century, Chinese botanical illustrations were often commissioned by European botanists, naturalists, and wealthy collectors who were eager to document and understand Asian flora. Chinese artists, working primarily in watercolours, adapted their traditional painting techniques to meet European demands for scientific accuracy while maintaining their distinctive artistic style. These illustrations became important resources for European botanical studies, contributing significantly to the documentation and understanding of Asian plant species in the West. These works now serve as valuable records of both botanical history and cross-cultural artistic exchange during a period of increasing global connection. Previously described as " creeping plant with flowers".
Method of acquisition: Bequeathed (1973) by Fairhaven, Henry Rogers Broughton
Chinese
Chinese export art
Chinese export watercolour
Support
composed of
paper
Paper
Height 375 mm
Width 338 mm
Watercolour : Bodycolour on paper
Accession number: PD.272-1973
Primary reference Number: 23114
Stable URI
Owner or interested party:
The Fitzwilliam Museum
Associated department:
Paintings, Drawings and Prints
This record can be cited in the Harvard Bibliographic style using the text below:
The Fitzwilliam Museum (2025) "A Species of Ipomoea" Web page available at: https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/23114 Accessed: 2025-12-23 15:29:09
To cite this record on Wikipedia you can use this code snippet:
{{cite web|url=https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/23114
|title=A Species of Ipomoea
|author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2025-12-23 15:29:09|publisher=The
University of Cambridge}}
To call these data via our API (remember this needs to be authenticated) you can use this code snippet:
https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/api/v1/objects/object-23114
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