Love Birds in Basket with Flowering Vines, 1804 Watercolor in Antique Lemon Gold Frame carved wooden spiked comb and about 1/4 of an

and about 1/4 of an inch thick

and there are a few small pieces of mother of pearl still inlaid as well—all adhered to a solid wood panel

and a pig…) but always with a very particular look and a definite homeliness that makes them very endearing—and  of course I’ve come to feel the more wounded and distinctive the better

and there are traces of the powdered color all over it

I haven't come across any Ballantine cans since

Love Birds in Basket with Flowering Vines, 1804 Watercolor in Antique Lemon Gold Frame carved wooden spiked comb and about 1/4 of anThe back of this charming watercolor is dated, in graphite, 1804 which of course I forgot to photograph when I had it out of the frame, but it is easy to open and see. A sign of spring arriving 222 years ago! I can't resist a watercolor like this, and love the way both the straw of the nest and the weave of the rich yellow basket were invested with a great deal of attention. And then these love birds themselves, full of life and also quite relatable,