Gentiana propingua

Art Historical Context

Mary Vaux Walcott'sGentiana propingua (1916) captures delicate beauty of this rareflower from the gentian family, rendered in a precise painting that showcases her extraordinary talent as artist and naturalist. Walcott, an accomplished painter and avid mountaineer, created this work as part of her extensive series documenting North American flora. Donated by the artist herself to the Smithsonian American Art Museum, now resides in their collection, inviting visitors to appreciate the intricate details of petals and stems that evoke high alpine meadows. Painted in the early 20th century, the a...