Title: Limon Flower & Fruit (Citrus limon)
Artist: E.A.C. Taylor (by inscription)
Region: Probably Bombay Presidency Region, (Maharashtra, Western India)
Period/Style: British Raj Period
Date: “Sept 1880” (by inscription)
Medium: Watercolor and pencil on paper
Dimensions: 13.82 x 10.75 in. (34.9 x 27.7 cm)
Presented: Loose - unframed, unmounted
Inscribed lower center: “Limon Flower & fruit / Sept 1880 / E.A.C. Taylor”
Numbered “No. 96” lower left
———-
Description:
A finely observed late 19th century Anglo-Indian botanical watercolor depicting a lemon branch in fruit and blossom, executed with a combination of watercolor and pencil on paper. The composition presents a large mature lemon suspended from a woody branch alongside glossy leaves and delicate citrus blossoms, rendered with notable attention to botanical structure, coloration, and natural growth habit. Signed and dated by inscription.
This work belongs to the long tradition of colonial botanical illustration produced in British India during the Raj period, when amateur naturalists, military families, civil servants, and educated travelers documented the flora of the subcontinent through carefully executed watercolor studies. The handling reflects this hybrid scientific and artistic purpose: the plant is presented with clarity and accuracy, yet retains a highly decorative visual quality characteristic of Victorian natural history painting.
The inscription and specimen number strongly suggest that the sheet originated from a larger botanical album or classified study collection. Works of this type were often assembled as personal records of regional flora and occasionally used in educational or horticultural contexts within colonial households. The probable Bombay Presidency attribution is consistent with the cultivation and widespread presence of citrus species in western India during the late 19th century.
Particularly appealing is the treatment of the foliage and fruit surface, where layered green tonalities and yellow highlights create a luminous, almost sculptural effect. The blossoms are delicately articulated with pale pink-white petals and detailed stamens, adding refinement and visual balance to the composition. The combination of scientific observation and painterly sensitivity gives the work strong decorative presence while preserving its historical documentary character.
Botanical watercolors from British India remain increasingly sought after for their intersection of natural history, colonial visual culture, and decorative appeal. Examples retaining original inscriptions, dates, and album numeration are especially desirable, as they preserve the documentary integrity of the original collection from which they came.
This watercolor forms part of a dispersed series of late 19th century botanical studies by E.A.C. Taylor, including the related Wild Guava Flowers (Careya arborea) painting previously identified from the same group. The consistent paper, inscription style, dating format, specimen numbering, and handling strongly suggest these works once belonged to a unified botanical album or study collection produced in British India during the 1870s–1880s. As with the guava study, the present work combines careful scientific observation with the decorative sensibility characteristic of Victorian colonial botanical illustration.
———-
Condition:
Presented loose and unframed. General age toning and handling wear consistent with age. Minor edge wear, light creasing, and scattered surface discoloration visible primarily at the margins and verso. Overall the work presents attractively, with strong color retention and a well-preserved image area.
———-
Provenance:
Acquired through the UK art trade.
———-
Note:
Unless otherwise noted, Attribution and dating are based on stylistic analysis and comparison with related works; offered as informed opinion. Sold as is. Please review images carefully.