Dahlia – Mary Altha Nims (19th-Century Watercolour)

A single dahlia, as bright as a flame. On a cream ground, one dahlia unfolds its rows of pointed coral and orange petals around a golden heart. Its dark green stem carries four serrated, blue-green leaves, spread out like the arms of a dancer. Nothing else: a single flower, painted with the clarity and charm of American folk art.

Dahlias, native to Mexico, reached Europe at the end of the 18th century and became one of the great garden flowers of the 19th, grown in hundreds of varieties. Amateur painters, many of them women, loved to record them in watercolour.

Why it works on your wall

• Warm and joyful: coral, orange and green on cream for a kitchen, a bedroom or a living room
• Simple and graphic: one flower, one stem: a strong silhouette that suits modern interiors
• Framing tip: a white or light wood frame keeps it fresh; it works well in a series of botanical prints

The watercolour

Mary Altha Nims (1817–1907) was an American artist who painted flowers, shells and landscapes in watercolour. Her work, with its clear outlines and bright colours, belongs to the tradition of American folk painting. This dahlia is in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

• Artist: Mary Altha Nims (1817–1907)
• Date: 19th century
• Technique: watercolour
• Original: Cleveland Museum of Art
• Theme: dahlia, flower, American folk art

Your print

• Colours restored from a high-definition scan of the original
• Printed in Europe on thick archival matte paper, FSC certified
• From A4 to A0, plus 40×60, 50×70, 60×90 and 70×100 cm and 12×18 to 27×40 inch sizes, all made for standard frames
• Free shipping, no minimum order. Shipped rolled in a sturdy tube

Pair it with Barbara Regina Dietzsch’s Hollyhock and Butterfly, or explore our vintage botanical prints.