Picture Details
Neem flowers and fruit. Watercolour and gouache on paper.
Partner:
Kew GardensImage reference:
ILLUS43.01/7.01FOrigin:
Indian SubcontinentArtist / Date:
Janet Hutton (nee Robertson), 1802-1824Donor / Date:
1896Size:
370 x 500 mmDescription:
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Janet Hutton was the wife of an East India merchant, residing 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, in particular the more showy flowers and fruit, plants from the family Convolvulaceae were also a favourite.The flowers in this illustration have darkened with age. This is owing to the lead in the white paint that Janet used slowly reacting with sulphur in the atmosphere, to produce lead sulphide, which is dark brown or Black.
The illustration has been inscribed 'Bead Tree', and it is these 'beads' that produce the unpleasant smelling oil which has traditionally been used to cure skin disorders, or refined to make soap. It was believed that by burning the dried leaves indoors the smoke would drive away insects; similarly, dried leaves could be placed inside books and clothes to prevent infestation.
