Of octagonal form with a fine brown line rim, painted with an unusual leafy botanical specimen, possibly borage, with a cluster of berry-like buds and a blue flower, smaller scattered sprigs and leaves all around, interspersed with insects, two beetles and a colourful butterfly, 19.7cm wide
Footnotes
Provenance
With Simon Spero, 2012
Literature
White, Mary, Eating at the Whites' House, Vol.3, 2022, p.238
Bow's answer to Chelsea 'Hans Sloane' plates offers a different interpretation of botanical painting. See lot 157 in this sale for a Chelsea plate where the source is identifiable and quite faithfully copied by the artist. A pair of Bow botanical plates from the Nelson Rockefeller Collection is illustrated by Anton Gabszewicz, Made at New Canton, 2000, p.74, pl.61 where the author notes that the use of 'broad artistic license' sets the Bow artist apart from their equivalent at Chelsea. A remarkably similar specimen with different smaller sprigs and insects was in the Brenda Dunning Collection, sold by Bonhams on 22 June 2022, lot 443.