Poirier de Pollviller - in 'Nouveau Duhamel du Monceau ou Traité des Arbres et Shrustes que le Culture en France'

Amidst the dark, finely serrated leaves sits a dense cluster of white blossoms, whose reddish anthers enliven the quiet order of the leaf with many small dots; beneath them, the pear branch emerges from the light background almost as if it were a second study, bearing five brown-orange fruits, long stalks and a single leaf that opens out to the side. To the left of it lie a halved pear, a seed and a small flower study, whilst labels and the plate number reveal the scientific purpose of the illustration. At the same time, the composition possesses a calm balance: the flower and foliage cluster at the top, the fruits visually weigh down the lower part, and the empty space in between ensures that every feature remains clearly visible. The plate is taken from the ‘Nouveau Duhamel du Monceau’, a botanical publication on trees and shrubs cultivated in France; the illustration, based on a work by Pierre-Joseph Redouté, combines precise botanical observation with a composition that has long since ceased to serve merely as an identification aid. What I particularly like about such botanical plates is that they do not require a scene: the differences between flower, fruit, seed and leaf carry the entire image.

In this piece, Sinead brings the work right up to the picture plane, without a passe-partout or glass, so that the oak veneer directly marks the transition from the light-coloured panel to the wall; with a front edge of 15 millimetres and a depth of 30 millimetres, the profile appears narrow from the front but gains a noticeable sense of volume when viewed from the side. My gaze lingers on the lower right-hand corner: There, the horizontal grain of the lower strip meets the vertical line of the side piece in a sharply drawn diagonal, and the flush mitre joint highlights this change of direction as a deliberate design feature. The outer edge runs straight, whilst a narrow inner step neatly frames the canvas; there are no embellishments, and that is precisely why the oak finish appears less austere than a classic gold frame. It works well here. Leonardo, the satin canvas used, supports the reproduction in a handy portrait format of 35 × 45 centimetres, whilst the frame, with its visible wood grain, is more reminiscent of plant material than of salon splendour. Hanging on a light-coloured wall, Sinead remains clearly discernible as a distinct outline, yet from a typical viewing distance it is above all the botanical precision of the pear branches that defines the space - and this understated tranquillity suits the print exceptionally well.