How do I care for antique botanical art?

Keep painted canvases and watercolours away from direct sunlight and high humidity to prevent pigment fading and paper degradation. Dust gilded frames gently with a soft, dry brush and avoid liquid cleaners that might damage delicate surface finishes.

Where were these paintings displayed originally?

Earlier large-scale floral compositions hung in formal dining rooms and drawing rooms to display wealth and refined taste. Smaller twentieth-century watercolours and board studies frequently decorated domestic parlours and intimate sitting spaces.

How can I tell oils from watercolours?

Oils present a heavier textured surface on canvas or panel with visible brushstrokes and a characteristic sheen. Watercolours appear flat behind glass on paper, relying on the white ground to illuminate translucent washes of pigment.