Who painted June Roses?

June Roses was painted by Mary Altha Nims in 1804.

Where can I see June Roses?

June Roses is held by Cleveland Museum of Art.

What movement is June Roses?

June Roses is associated with Romanticism.

Artwork

June Roses

Mary Altha Nims , 1804

June Roses is a drawing by the Romanticist artist Mary Altha Nims. It dates from 1804 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

About this work

Overview

June Roses is a drawing executed around 1804 by American artist Mary Altha Nims. The work is part of the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. It presents a modest grouping of roses rendered in muted pinks, whites and verdant greens against an unadorned background, allowing the botanical forms to dominate the visual field.

Subject & Meaning

The composition depicts a small cluster of roses that appear slightly past their peak, their petals gently drooping and leaves a vivid green. By choosing a moment of quiet decline, the drawing subtly reflects themes of transience and the fleeting nature of beauty, a concern common to early‑nineteenth‑century botanical studies.

Technique & Style

Nims employs fine, controlled lines to delineate the delicate textures of the flower centers and the subtle play of light across each petal. The rendering emphasizes careful observation, with attention to the fuzzy stamen and the crisp edges of the foliage, characteristic of the detailed naturalist approach prevalent among artists of the period.

History & Provenance

Created circa 1804, June Roses entered the Cleveland Museum of Art’s holdings through acquisition (specific details of its prior ownership are not recorded). The drawing remains an example of Nims’s early work and contributes to the museum’s representation of American botanical illustration from the early nineteenth century.