Artwork

Study of a sow thistle

Study of a sow thistle, by Richard CB, RA, ARA Redgrave, 1850
Study of a sow thistle, by Richard CB, RA, ARA Redgrave, 1850

Study of a sow thistle is a drawing by the Impressionist artist Richard CB, RA, ARA Redgrave. It dates from 1850 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum. Richard Redgrave created a pencil drawing of a sow thistle around 1850.

About this work

Richard Redgrave drew a common plant called a sow thistle around 1850. It was just a careful pencil study, but it was made for designers, not just artists.

Redgrave taught at the Government School of Design. He wanted plant shapes to inspire patterns. The thistle’s buds, leaves, and seeds were all mapped out.

Check out more of Redgrave’s work next time you’re at the Victoria and Albert Museum.

Overview

Richard Redgrave created a pencil drawing of a sow thistle around 1850. The work is a detailed study of the plant's form.

Subject & Meaning

The drawing depicts a sow thistle, examining its buds, leaves, and seeds. Redgrave's intention was to provide designers with new motifs for ornamentation, inspired by the natural shapes of the plant.

Technique & Style

The drawing is a careful, detailed representation of the thistle, showcasing Redgrave's observational skills. The pencil work is precise, capturing the plant's various elements.

Context

During the mid-19th century, there was a strong interest in deriving ornament from plants. Redgrave, as a teacher at the Government School of Design, contributed to this movement by creating studies like this one.

Artist & collection