Who painted Cross-vine (Bignonia capreolata)?

Cross-vine (Bignonia capreolata) was painted by Mark Catesby.

Where can I see Cross-vine (Bignonia capreolata)?

Cross-vine (Bignonia capreolata) is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Cross-vine (Bignonia capreolata)?

Cross-vine (Bignonia capreolata) is associated with Romanticism.

Artwork

Cross-vine (Bignonia capreolata)

Mark Catesby

Cross-vine (Bignonia capreolata) is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Mark Catesby. It is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art. Created in 1754, this print presents the vine known as Bignonia capreolata, commonly called cross‑vine.

About this work

Overview

Created in 1754, this print presents the vine known as Bignonia capreolata, commonly called cross‑vine. Executed as an etched and engraved image on laid paper, the work was finished with hand‑applied color, giving the flowers a vivid yellow‑orange hue and the foliage a natural green.

Subject & Meaning

The image records the botanical characteristics of the species: trumpet‑shaped blossoms, elongated pointed leaves, and a slender brown seed pod. Catesby’s intent was scientific documentation, capturing the plant’s form with precision for reference in natural history studies.

Technique & Style

The print combines intaglio processes—etching to outline forms and engraving to refine details—followed by meticulous hand‑coloring. Fine lines render leaf venation and petal curvature, while the manual pigments accentuate the flower’s brightness, illustrating the hybrid craft of printmaking and illustration.

History & Provenance

Mark Catesby, an English naturalist, produced the work as part of his extensive efforts to illustrate North American flora. Though the image was not included in his earlier multi‑volume Natural History of Carolina, Florida and the Bahama Islands (1729‑1747), it reflects the same systematic approach that underpinned that publication.

Context

During the mid‑18th century, European interest in New World plants grew alongside expanding colonial trade. Catesby’s prints supplied botanists and collectors with reliable visual references, bridging field observation and scholarly description at a time when printed images were primary scientific communication tools.