Inscription with floral illustration: Sempervivum hirtum L.: PD.11-1980.f.57

Materials used in production

Watercolour
Graphite

Components of the work

Support composed of paper
Leaf Height 278 mm Width 190 mm

Techniques used in production

Handwriting : Watercolour and graphite on paper
Watercolour

Inscription or legends present

• Text: hold on to us: and off they went / singing merrily / "Never say 'did', / Or think about 'I', / Live for the others / Never mind bothers, / Sempervivum, Sempervivum, / All alivum, all alivum!" / And people thought the show was / over, but there was one more, and / when he was seen coming, voices / said. Shy, it's Mr. Dandelion! / Who ever would have expected him / to come. We've seen him millions / of times, the common Dandelion! / and some called out "Halloa! / Dandy", and others "Beware of the lion." But though his real name was / Taraxacum, he didn't mind their nicknames, and he cer- / -tainly looked very bright and beautiful with his round shining / face. When he came up he said very modestly, / I'm such a common thing you know, / I hardly liked to come. / Nor can I speak out well; this show / Of beauty strikes me dumb.
• Location: Recto
• Method of creation: Watercolour

• Text: I only try by smiling face / To gladden every one, / And have no merit, save the grace / Of being like the sun. / My work brings me but little wealth, / Tho' all work blessing gains, / I just grow salad for your health / And med'cine for your pains. / I have great teeth and fearful claws / Quite like a savage beast; / But never kill or wound, because / I would not hurt the least / And when in stormy days, few choose / To travel up above / I send my aeroplanes with news / And messages of love. / And everywhere I gladly live; / In Babylon or Sion! / And all I have quite freely give, / Though but a Dandelion." / And so the procession ended, and the judges conferred together, while the / crowd collected. Then Mr. Rhododendron said "We are very grateful to you / all who have taken part in our most successful festival, and hope that next / year many of those who have not competed this time will do so: Some of / you we consider to be more beautiful, more original, or perhaps more useful, / but no one seems to us to combine so many merits as the one to whom we / unanimoulsy adjudge the prize. / We confer upon him the title of King of the / valleys and mountains, for everywhere he shines and works, tho' without / praize or admiration we give him the Order of the Golden Lion, and beg / you all in the future highly to esteem and honour him, the Common / Dandelion. Our Queen's own sister, the Mountain Rose, will now give
• Location: Verso
• Method of creation: Watercolour

Identification numbers

Accession number: PD.11-1980.f.57
Primary reference Number: 43828
Stable URI

Audit data

Associated departments & institutions

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