Joseph’s coat and white-flowered bottle gourd, Alexander Marshal, c. 1650-82

A page of watercolours of two plants, a piece of amaranthus and an egyptian melon. These autumnal varieties were placed towards the end of marshal’s florilegium. The beautifully coloured joseph’s coat(whose name refers to the old testament story), is a tropical plant, introduced to england in the late sixteenth century. Marshal has faithfully recorded insect damage and other blemishes on the leaves. Provenance: presented to george iv. Date: c. 1650-82. Dimensions: 45.7 x 33.2 cm (sheet of paper). Medium: watercolour. Joseph’s coat and white-flowered bottle gourd (RCIN 924417)