I could look at early theorem watercolors like this all day, so lush and radiant, with the combination of greens on the leaves here just electric! Those red blooms are pretty electric, too, identified as "Crown flower" below. I like the blankness of the scroll here, as if in perpetual wait for the right words. But then on reverse, a rose with another scroll and a poem too, describing the summer breathing, roses blooming, sunbeams playing, and the bright glances "thine eyes gave to me." Dated October 28, 1848.
8 11/16" x 7 7/8". Good condition. Some scattered light stains, most concentrated at lower right on the blank scroll side. One bit of red bleed near one petal. The rose on reverse shows a little darkening to the petals, as shown. Wove paper, not brittle.
