ArtistJill Parisi
Botanical Illustrations I
Date2012
MediumHand-colored lithograph
DimensionsPaper Size: 16 1/2 × 11 1/2 in. (41.9 × 29.2 cm)
Framed Size: 20 3/4 × 41 in. (52.7 × 104.1 cm)
Credit LineDC Commission on the Arts and Humanities Art Bank Collection
Object numberDCCAH2015.037.1
ClassificationsPrints
Locations
- Committee on Public Works and Operations (1350 Penn Ave NW, 112)
DescriptionThis piece was inspired by various flora and fauna. It is a botanical study of the world unknown to us, a colorful flight of fancy that pays homage to botanical illustrations from history.
The image was drawn on the sumptuous surface of a lithographic stone with lithographic crayons and pencils. After the drawing was processed it was inked and printed on very fine tissue weight handmade gampi paper from Japan, twelve grams to be exact. Hand-color was carefully applied to the reverse side of the paper, so the effect on the printed surface appears softly glowing.
From the zoological world, the quills of porcupines along with the scaled textures of various lizards and snakes informed some of the textures and shapes of the work. And from the botanical world, the seedpods of the American sweetgum and American hophornbeam trees provided inspiration for the two imaginary plants depicted. The top portion of the element on the left blows in an imaginary breeze, while the stiff and bristly structures of the element on the right allow it to stand upright, resilient and undeterred.
