Artwork Description
A protea spreads across the pages of an 1886 Government Gazette in "Gewone Naam" by Lisette Forsyth. Look through the painted leaves and petals and the original document is still very much part of the work, including a wonderful list of botanical and common plant names printed nearly 140 years ago.
The choice of paper feels particularly apt. Forsyth has taken a practical historical record concerned with the naming and pricing of plants and returned the plant itself to centre stage. Loose, confident marks give the protea life without covering the age, typography and imperfections of the fragile paper beneath.
For collectors drawn to South African botanical art, vintage ephemera and works with a strong sense of history, this is a beautifully resolved small original. "Gewone Naam" is painted on a Government Gazette dated Friday, 21 May 1886 and measures 30 × 42 cm. It is sold unframed for R16,250.
