{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O765804"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O765804/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2025PK5811/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2025PK5811/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2025PK5811","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AT4638","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O765804/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O765804","accessionNumber":"E.1742-1924","objectType":"Watercolour drawing","titles":[{"title":"Celosia cristata L.","type":"generic title"},{"title":"Cosckcomb","type":"popular title"}],"summaryDescription":"In China, foreigners were confined to the island of Macao and allowed into Canton only when their ships were in port. To obtain drawings of Chinese plants they had to commission native artists often through the agency of the East India Company. They gave the artists examples of European illustrations to copy and trained them in the conventions of Western botanical drawing. Although the Chinese artists were adept copyists, their drawings and watercolours can easily be distinguished from those by European artists. They tend to use a limited number of flat tones which can be seen in the leaves and the two tone flowers on both of this drawings. \r\n\r\nWith this plant the artist recorded every detail, including the nibbled leaves. In Chinese flower painting, the natural forms were abstract and idealised. But when working for European clients, the artists were instructed to give precise botanical details and a literal transcription of the individual specimen.\r\n\r\nThis drawing can be dated to after 1817 because of the dated watermark in the paper.","physicalDescription":"Drawing of a cockscomb stem, leaves and red-yellow flower head, centrally placed and upright.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"artist","id":"AAT25103"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"watercolour (paint)","id":"AAT15045"}],"techniques":[{"text":"watercolour painting (technique)","id":"THES250889"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Watercolour on paper","categories":[{"text":"Illustration","id":"THES48938"},{"text":"Drawings","id":"THES48966"},{"text":"Gardens & Gardening","id":"THES49002"},{"text":"Botanical art","id":"THES277744"},{"text":"Chinese botanical drawings","id":"THES413953"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"PDP","id":"THES48595"},"images":["2025PK5811","2006AT4638"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"LVLE","id":"THES49657"},"free":"","case":"DP","shelf":"100","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"drawing","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"China","id":"x29398"},"association":{"text":"painted","id":"x30138"},"note":"probably"}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"first quarter 19th century","earliest":"1800-01-01","latest":"1825-12-31"},"association":{"text":"painted","id":"x30138"},"note":"The papers used are watermarked from 1794 to 1825"}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"49.7","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"39","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"M & J LAY 1817","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"watermark, lower right corner, vertcal"}],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Botanical study of Cockscomb (Celosia cristata L.), watercolour by unknown Chinese artist, 1817-1825.","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"<u>Victoria and Albert Museum, Department of Engraving, Illustration and Design & Department of Paintings, Accessions 1924</u>, published under the Authority of the Board of Education, London, 1926."}],"production":"watermark dated 1817","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"cockscomb plant","id":"x36065"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["E.1742-1924"],"accessionNumberNum":"1742","accessionNumberPrefix":"E","accessionYear":1924,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-12-17","recordCreationDate":"2009-06-30","availableToBook":false}}