Indian Almond 1870

Marianne North painted this study of an Indian Almond, using oil on board. The work involved a direct engagement with the natural world. The oil paint she used is interesting. Ground pigments, mixed with linseed or walnut oil, gives a smooth, blendable texture, allowing North to build up layers of color and detail. You can see her capturing the vibrant greens of the leaves to the warm reds and yellows of the changing foliage. The density of oil paint creates a visual sense of depth, as the forms advance and recede within the pictorial space. The very act of painting en plein air speaks to a specific kind of labor – not industrial or obviously social, but a personal and observational kind, where close looking and careful rendering were required to capture the essence of this exotic plant. North was a traveler, a Victorian woman venturing into the tropical world, and the painting is evidence of that. Ultimately, this painting challenges us to consider the labor involved in both its creation and its subject: the natural labor of growth and change, captured through the equally diligent labor of the artist.