Who painted Wild Violet?

Wild Violet was painted by Jenny Brasier in 2000.

Where can I see Wild Violet?

Wild Violet is held by Victoria and Albert Museum.

What movement is Wild Violet?

Wild Violet is associated with Contemporary Abstract.

Artwork

Wild Violet

Jenny Brasier , 2000

Wild Violet is a watercolor work on paper by the Contemporary Abstract artist Jenny Brasier. It dates from 2000 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.

About this work

Overview

Created in 2000, *Wild Violet* is a watercolour on vellum that presents a solitary violet flower against an unadorned white field. The composition isolates the bloom, emphasizing its deep purple petals, pale yellow centre and slender green stem, allowing the viewer to focus on the plant’s form without surrounding foliage or background detail.

Subject & Meaning

The work depicts a single wild violet, rendered with meticulous attention to the texture of its five soft petals. By stripping away extraneous elements, the artist invites contemplation of the flower’s delicate structure and colour, suggesting an appreciation for the quiet beauty found in ordinary botanical subjects.

Technique & Style

Executed in transparent watercolour on vellum, the piece employs a restrained palette of bright yet simple hues. Fine brushwork captures the fuzzy surface of the petals, while the thin, linear stem is delineated with a delicate green wash. The minimalist background and abstracted treatment align the work with contemporary abstract tendencies while retaining botanical fidelity.

History & Provenance

Jenny Brasier, a self‑taught British botanical illustrator born in 1936, produced the painting after encouragement from art historian Wilfrid Blunt. *Wild Violet* entered the Victoria and Albert Museum’s collection, where it remains accessible to the public as part of the museum’s holdings of modern watercolours.

Context

Brasier’s practice, rooted in detailed observation of plant forms, bridges scientific illustration and modern art. The painting reflects a late‑20th‑century interest in merging precise natural representation with abstract compositional strategies, situating the work within broader movements that explore the intersection of art and natural history.

Artist & collection

Artist

Jenny Brasier

Jenny Brasier (1936–2020) was a botanical artist and book illustrator. Brasier was born on 9 August 1936 in Alvechurch near Birmingham, UK. She painted in watercolour and was known for painting on vellum. She did not…