Corn Poppy

Le Moyne de Morgues, Jacques, 1533?-1588 · [ca. 1580]

Jacques Le Moyne de Morgues, a French artist living in Elizabethan England, specialized in naturalistic florilegia. While living in Blackfriars, London during the 16th century, Le Moyne painted dozens of plants and animals native to English gardens; however, his work remained largely undiscovered until the 20th century. These meticulous recreations of Le Moyne's watercolor and gouache pieces highlight the balance between science and art during the sixteenth century. "Corn Poppy", a recreation of the watercolor and gouache botanical study by Jacques Le Moyne c. 1580, details a remarkably realistic plant. Presumably created as part of a series for a wealthy English patron, "Corn Poppy" shares many similarities with Le Moyne's other florilegia, notably "Study of a Corn Poppy" housed in the Victoria and Albert Museum. To emphasize scientific accuracy, Le Moyne composes the flower from multiple angles against a plain vellum background, which also accentuates the vivid colors used. A surrounding painted frame juxtaposes geometric lines with the organic form of the poppy. Intense shadowing and nuanced forms suggest that Le Moyne drew "Corn Poppy" primarily from life.