Odontoglossum coradinei var grandiflorum 1885 - 1906

Editor: Right now, we’re looking at Jean Jules Linden’s watercolour illustration, “Odontoglossum coradinei var grandiflorum,” dating from somewhere between 1885 and 1906. It has a remarkably light and airy feel for something so detailed, almost scientifically precise, really. What draws your eye when you look at this piece? Curator: Oh, definitely that dance between precision and something almost… dreamlike. Botanical illustrations often straddle that line, don’t they? For me, it's the speckled petals – like little freckles on the orchid's face. They give it so much character, making each bloom unique. What about you, is it the colour palette? Editor: I do like the sort of muted yellows contrasting with those almost violent, rust-coloured spots. Did the scientific illustrators at the time consciously try to create something beautiful, or was that just a by-product of the detailed work? Curator: That’s the million-dollar question, isn’t it? I like to think they were aiming for truth and beauty simultaneously. Maybe for them, the truth *was* beautiful. Also, can we address the question, do you think that the perfection of this flower could be rendered by a machine? It looks so free. I wonder how Jean Jules Linden approached this work? Editor: Mmm, yes, how would that work change depending on approach? Fascinating. I'd never considered botanical illustrations in this light before. Curator: Neither have I! What a thought!