What an interesting study – I really like it. Everything is in harmony because of the shapes, colors, and values but the branch – it must have fallen there, no? So it’s not like everything grew together but that’s the impression. And the squiggled reflections seem to rest on the water lily leaves at the same time as being above them, on the water. That’s fascinating. It’s all very calming but not so relaxing that you aren’t intrigued. Really wonderful!
Big thanks for this nice comment. I had botanical illustrations from the 19c in mind here, and that accounts for the time spent looking for the right color and contrast. The squiggles is the water music playing itself. 😊
Water music, for sure. So, painted botanical illustrations I guess. I automatically think of black and white. But I think I know the type you mean, with mellow colors. That inspiration took you to a really good place. Besides water music, the squiggles could be calligraphy – like writing on an old postcard. Very cool, the way they’re light, then dark and contrast more, then less with what’s behind them. And having the tree branch there gives them a good counterpoint.
Yes, those mellow colors used by Agassiz and others including his student Antoine Sonrel (who was also a photographer). I love your analogy to script on an old postcard 🌟
I know Agassiz but never heard of Sonrel…googling him I found photos and one insect plate (that you can have made into a Tshirt) ;-). Then I found this blog post with a host of old illustrations, including a beautiful butterfly plate from an 1862 book on insects “inurious to vegetation.” I like the old fish illustrations, too. Read the coda at the bottom of the post: “…our responsibility to remember both bygone beauty and pain.”
Good find! I really like the colors used throughout– subdued and not overwhelmed by the mid-day blue which I’ve come to associate with images from cell-phones. I have a carte-de-visite taken by Sonrel in the 1860’s. It seems he pretty much supported himself as a photographer in Boston during the Civil War.
Here’s another interesting link looking at 19c botanical illustrations
JOHN TODARO 
Floating dimensions….
Fine art indeed!
Thanks Ed. I spent a lot of time on this one.
What an interesting study – I really like it. Everything is in harmony because of the shapes, colors, and values but the branch – it must have fallen there, no? So it’s not like everything grew together but that’s the impression. And the squiggled reflections seem to rest on the water lily leaves at the same time as being above them, on the water. That’s fascinating. It’s all very calming but not so relaxing that you aren’t intrigued. Really wonderful!
Big thanks for this nice comment. I had botanical illustrations from the 19c in mind here, and that accounts for the time spent looking for the right color and contrast. The squiggles is the water music playing itself. 😊
Water music, for sure. So, painted botanical illustrations I guess. I automatically think of black and white. But I think I know the type you mean, with mellow colors. That inspiration took you to a really good place. Besides water music, the squiggles could be calligraphy – like writing on an old postcard. Very cool, the way they’re light, then dark and contrast more, then less with what’s behind them. And having the tree branch there gives them a good counterpoint.
Yes, those mellow colors used by Agassiz and others including his student Antoine Sonrel (who was also a photographer). I love your analogy to script on an old postcard 🌟
I know Agassiz but never heard of Sonrel…googling him I found photos and one insect plate (that you can have made into a Tshirt) ;-). Then I found this blog post with a host of old illustrations, including a beautiful butterfly plate from an 1862 book on insects “inurious to vegetation.” I like the old fish illustrations, too. Read the coda at the bottom of the post: “…our responsibility to remember both bygone beauty and pain.”
Good find! I really like the colors used throughout– subdued and not overwhelmed by the mid-day blue which I’ve come to associate with images from cell-phones. I have a carte-de-visite taken by Sonrel in the 1860’s. It seems he pretty much supported himself as a photographer in Boston during the Civil War.
Here’s another interesting link looking at 19c botanical illustrations
https://mymodernmet.com/history-of-botanical-illustration/
German artist Maria Sibylla Merian‘s work at that last link is wonderful. The greens are refreshingly absent of blue bias, if that makes any sense. 😊