Pansies and Paper

A more ideal Artist he than all,

Came, drew your pencil from you, made those eyes

Darker than darkest pansies

-Alfred Lord Tennyson (from The Gardener's Daughter)

A photo study of my pansies

My pansies are in the ground soaking up recent showers.

The paper thin petals against the damp black soil brings to mind the work of artist Mary Delany (1700-1788).  Intricate paper cut flowers against a black inked background.  An aristocrat and avid gardener with an interest in botany, Mary is most well known for her paper cutting.  She created exquisitely detailed  pieces, which she called her paper "mosaiks", most of which she remarkably completed between the ages of 71 to 88.

Mrs. Delany, 1782, by John Opie
National Portrait Gallery, London

*click images to enlarge

For more information, see Molly Peacock's book
The Paper Garden:  An Artist Begins Her Life's Work at 72
via Amazon