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Martin Johnson Heade (artist) American, 1819 - 1904 Cattleya Orchid and Three Hummingbirds, 1871 oil on wood Overall: 34.8 x 45.6 cm (13 11/16 x 17 15/16 in.) framed: 63.8 x 74.6 x 8.9 cm (25 1/8 x 29 3/8 x 3 1/2 in.) Gift of The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation 1982.73.1 Not on View |
Heade offered viewers an intimate glimpse into the exotic recesses of nature's secret garden. Lichen covers dead branches; moss drips from trees; and, a blue-gray mist veils the distant jungle. An opulent pink orchid with light-green stems and pods dominates the left foreground. To the right, perched near a nest on a branch, are a Sappho Comet, green with a yellow throat and brilliant red tail feathers, and two green-and-pink Brazilian Amethysts.
Perhaps inspired by the writings of Charles Darwin, the artist studied these subjects in the wild during several expeditions to South America. The precisely rendered flora and fauna seem alive in their natural habitat, not mere specimens for scientific analysis. Defying strict categorization as either still life or landscape, Heade's work reflects the artist's unerring attention to detail and his delight in the infinitesimal joys of nature.