Picture Details
Black pepper plant, watercolour, gouache, gum-arabic and pencil on paper.
Partner:
Kew GardensImage reference:
ILLUS139.01/2.0FOrigin:
Indian SubcontinentArtist / Date:
Janet Hutton (nee Robertson), 1802-1824Donor / Date:
1894Size:
541 x 375 mmDescription:
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Janet Hutton was the wife of an East India merchant, who resided at Penang from 1802 to 1808, and at Calcutta from 1817 to 1823. Janet painted a wide range of tropical plants from India and Malaysia, particularly the indigenous edible fruits such as mango, durian, guava and pawpaw. In 1894 approximately 200 of these drawings were presented to Kew by Janet's daughter, Mary Hutton. Janet's paintings are recognisable from their bold, confident style, and liberal application of paint. This painting is typical of her numerous studies; a very simple pencil line sketch was made first, occupying the majority of the paper, followed by large areas of watercolour with gum-arabic, the details being picked out last in gouache.
