19th Century Cut Paper Floral Collage Picture Circa 1850

We are delighted to offer this beautiful 19th century cut paper collage picture. If you adore the 18th century paper mosaic pictures of Mary Delany, you will adore this charming homage.

During the 18th and 19th century there were great Botanical discoveries. Ladies of a certain genteel class took great skill to replicate with knifes and sharp scissors with paper, the botanical engravings and watercolours that they were viewing in botanical books. The most skilled and most famous was Mary Delany whose paper mosaics of flowers were so very accurate in their depictions. Paper cutting grew in popularity through to the Victorian period with famous cutters being Jane Parminter, Elizabeth Cobbald and Mary Frampton. Of course for every famous paper cutter their was an army of the eager amateur enthusiast. Cut paper images could be highlighted in watercolour or with the addition of pin pricking. Three dimensional collages of paper flowers were also a popular past time, these arrangements housed in deeper shadow box frames. Individuality of expression was key and you will not find two creations to ever be the same.

Our example has a mixture of a medium. We see naturalistic garden blooms cut from both paper and rice paper. Some of these blooms hand painted in watercolour, the little Rose bud has hand colored moss added for texture. The flowers are recognizable as Marguerite, Fuchsia, Sweet Pea etc…The little basket with its side bows is a delight. Housed behind glass with gilt slip and maple frame. This is a fantastic little early Victorian creation for any home interior.

Size: Frame 13 inch high by 11 inch wide (33 cm by 28 cm)

Condition: Some age fading to the flowers as you would expect after nearly 200 years. The blue paper ground is a little short, top and bottom but hardly noticeable.