{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O93253"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O93253/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2010EL5421/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2010EL5421/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2010EL5421","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AT4636","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AG2247","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O93253/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O93253","accessionNumber":"E.1754-1924","objectType":"Watercolour drawing","titles":[{"title":"Peanut","type":"popular title"},{"title":"Arachis hypogaea L.","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"In the late 18th century European gardeners and plantsmen and women became more and more interested in plants from China. Many of our most familiar plants were introduced from China during this period. This was a consequence of trading contacts and plant hunting expeditions.\r\n\r\nCollectors and botanists commissioned Chinese artists in the trading ports of Canton and Macao to paint Chinese plants. 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. Instead of producing a generalised image of the species they were representing, they usually made a literal portrait of a single specimen. This tendency is evident in this study. Each damaged leaf has been carefully and precisely represented. Such details were irrelevant for the purposes of identification and classification.","physicalDescription":"Botanical study of a peanut plant with roots.","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":"Science","id":"THES48898"},{"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":["2010EL5421","2006AT4636","2006AG2247"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"LVLF (VA)","id":"THES49656"},"free":"","case":"TOPIC","shelf":"DP3","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"botanical illustrations","id":"THES399050"}]],"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":"47.8","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"37","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"J WHATMAN","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 left"}],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Peanut plant (Arachis hypogaea L.) by an unknown Chinese artist; watercolour; ca 1760-1825","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":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"plant","id":"AAT132360"},{"text":"peanut","id":"x37963"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"Unknown artist\r\nPeanut (Arachis hypogaea L.)\r\nAbout 1760-1825\r\n\r\nIn Chinese flower painting, the natural forms were abstract and idealised. When working for European clients, Chinese artists were instructed to give precise botanical details. They often gave a literal transcription of the individual specimen. Thus in this picture of a peanut plant each yellowing and withered leaf is precisely delineated.\r\n\r\nChina\r\nWatercolour\r\nV&A: E.1754-1924","date":{"text":"2011","earliest":"2011-01-01","latest":"2011-12-31"}}],"partNumbers":["E.1754-1924"],"accessionNumberNum":"1754","accessionNumberPrefix":"E","accessionYear":1924,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-12-15","recordCreationDate":"2004-02-18","availableToBook":false}}