Painting, 'Peony', watercolour and ink on paper, Canton, China, 1800-1830

Rectangular watercolour painting depicting a flower on plain ground. Two pink flower heads of layered petals grow from a brown branch with a series of green leaves that have a serrated edge.

Unfamiliar flora and fauna had strong appeal to British botanists in the 18th/19th century, and such interest gradually filtered down to the general public. Travellers brought back to Britain foreign plants and more commonly, paintings depicting the numerous species of tropical flowers and fruits. The peony, called 'mu dan' in Chinese, was and still is a common garden flower in south China.
Purchased from a source not recorded in the Asia Department registers, accessioned in 1890. This acquisition information reflects that found in the Asia Department registers, as part of a 2022 provenance research project.

The peony, called 'mu dan' in Chinese, was and still is a common garden flower in south China. Unfamiliar flora and fauna were of great interest to British botanists in the 18th and 19th centuries, and such enthusiasm gradually filtered down to the general public. Travellers often returned to Britain with foreign plants and, more commonly, paintings depicting numerous species of tropical flowers and fruits.

D.108-1890