Green Bear Cabbage (Veratrum viride)

Art Historical Context

Mary Vaux Walcott'sGreen Bear Cabbage (Verrum viride)*, in 1918, the striking green hues and intricate structure of the wildflower Veratrum vir, also known as green false hellebore or pokeweed. Now housed in the Smithsonian American Museum as a gift from the artist herself, this painting exemplifies Walcott's dedication to documenting North America's native flora with scientific precision and artistic grace. Walcott, a self-ta artist and avid naturalist (1860–1940), created this work amid her expeditions through rugged landscapes like the Canadian Rockies, often alongside her geologist husban...