IDENTIFIERS
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id:	23118
accession number:	PD.276-1973

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 mulan magnolia (Magnolia liliiflora), corn marigold (Chrysanthemum segetum) with a butterfly, a dragon fly and a bee. The illustration features a magnolia branch on the left with two purple-pink blooms and one bud, showing the characteristic large, pointed petals of Magnolia species. The magnolia branch has oval green leaves and brown stems with visible aerial roots. On the right are yellow corn marigold with several fully opened flowers showing their characteristic multi-petaled form and green centres. The chrysanthemum plants display deeply lobed green leaves typical of the species. Three insects are depicted in flight: a large dragonfly on the left with transparent wings and a green-marked body; a black swallowtail butterfly with red spots along its wing borders; and a small bee at the centre. 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/23118


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: 338

dimension: Width
units: mm
value: 470