Scarlet Loco (Astragalus coccineus)

Art Historical Context

Mary Vaux Walcott'sScarlet Loco (agalus coccineus (1935) is a delicate painting that showcases the vivid scarlet blooms of this North American wildflower, also known as scarlet milkvetch. Created as part of Walcott's lifelong passion for capturing flora, the work was generously gifted by the artist to the Smithsonian American Art Museum, where it resides in the Smithsonian Collection. This piece reflects the early 20th-century tradition of botanical art, blending aesthetic appeal with scientific precision to document plant species. Walcott, an accomplished artist active during the height of A...