Martin Johnson Heade — White Cattleya Orchid, Hummingbirds Postcard

A white Cattleya orchid unfolds with a deep maroon-and-yellow center, its ruffled petals catching soft light against a backdrop of misty peaks. Above it, two hummingbirds perch together on a mossy, lichen-draped branch, watching over the bloom and its cluster of seed pods below.

Part of the extended series Heade painted after returning from Brazil, this one reads as a quiet still moment rather than a busy scene — a keepsake as much as a card to send.

• Format: A6
• Paper: 350 g/m²