Black Rhododendron I, Kenwood. Small painting 50x40cm Painting

This painting is influenced by Dutch 17th and 18th still life paintings that featured precious objects, in this case the Rhododendron brought back to the UK in the 19th Century. Caravaggio's Chiaroscuro paintings are also an influence. With every new idea which offers a 'gleam of light' a darker element appears challenging old ideas. Charles Darwin's correspondence with JD Hooker and the archives of JD Hooker’s life, housed in Kew are a rich source of ideas for Marianne’s new work. JD Hooker brought back more than 20 new species of Rhododendron that started the craze for planting them on the grounds of large houses in the UK in the mid 19th Century, including Kenwood House and in Richmond where one of the national collections now resides. Keywords: pink, rhododendron, black, blue, white, Caravaggio, chiaroscurro, flower, hampstead, Kenwood