Camellia sinensis, circa 1878

I'm still nosing around pretty regularly on that Library of Congress website, loc.gov, where you can find lots of photos, prints, and drawings that are in the public domain. My most recent find is a circa 1878 ink drawing titled "Cha (tea)." I love the colors and composition of this drawing, and I'm also struck by the fact that the leaves and blossom on this plant look so much like the plant growing in my backyard. I do realize they're both tea plants, but still … to think I'm growing something that someone drew that many years ago seems rather amazing.

The information with this entry says it was "possibly by Kano, 1878," and was a gift from Mrs. David Murray and forms part of the David Murray collection. (Aren't you glad people think to donate such art so it will be preserved?) If you'd like to download this image yourself, click here.