STORY BEHIND THE ART OF ROSEMARY DONNELLY

21st Annual International

American Society of Botanical Artists at Wave Hill

Pomegranate

Punica granatum

I have painted pomegranates a number of times, but this was my first attempt at tackling a large open fruit. The appeal for me was the jewel-like mass of ruby-red seeds or arils which had swelled inside the fruit until the skin could no longer withstand the pressure and split along fault lines, forcing the fruit open. To my mind the result is reminiscent of a treasure chest full of jewels and my aim was to capture that wonderful richness of color and shine on each individual aril. The challenge was maintaining their individuality and avoiding making them all finish up looking the same. Masking fluid played an important role in retaining the highlights on each seed during the initial washes and was reapplied on each main highlight during the process and retained until the painting was almost complete, to ensure the shine wasn’t lost.

Originally native to Iran, the pomegranate has been recorded since ancient times. It has been cultivated and naturalized in countries around the Mediterranean. In early Greek culture, the fruit was a traditional symbol of fertility owing to the abundant seeds, and was presented to a newlywed couple to signify a prosperous marriage and many children. The pomegranate also represents fertility and prosperity in China, and pictures of the open fruit are a popular wedding present. Amongst Bedouin tribes of the Middle East, the pomegranate has a role in wedding ceremonies as a fertility symbol where a ripe fruit is split open by the groom as he and his bride enter their home. The abundant seeds of the fruit which are eaten by the couple signify that they will have many children.

Images of the fruit were often used to decorate temples and appeared on early coins. The fruit featured in Egyptian mythology and art and was placed in Pharoahs’ tombs to sustain them in the afterlife. In Western art, the pomegranate is often included on statues and paintings of the Virgin and Child, by artists such as Botticelli, Raphael and Caravaggio.

The species was introduced to California by Spanish settlers in 1769 and is mainly grown commercially in drier parts of the State and Arizona. The health benefits of eating the seeds or drinking the juice made from crushing them and straining the pulp are well documented in over 400 studies. High in Vitamin C, anti-inflammatory properties, phytoestrogens and with more anti-oxidants than green tea, the fruit is a powerhouse of health benefits.

 The pomegranate tree grows well in temperate climates and especially in areas with hot, dry summers and cold winters. The tree does best in well-draining soil and needs full sun to fruit successfully. However, it has a strong tendency to sucker from the base. A friend Jane has a very old tree in her sunny courtyard which has huge branches lying prone along the ground for part of their length before rising skywards and still bearing huge deep red fruit in abundance.

 In my own garden I have grown a miniature pomegranate which bears tiny fruit no bigger than a walnut, and while highly ornamental, the seeds are not sweet enough to eat. It is a very decorative specimen and is almost evergreen, unlike the larger varieties. The tiny orange-red buds and flowers are exquisite and it earns its place by also retaining its shiny fruit right through winter.

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Read more about this artist’s work: Out of the Woods