Japanese Archival Note Card, Cattleya Trianae Var. the King by Ikeda Zuigetsu: Ranka-Fu Orchid Series

Two pale pink flowers with purple lips lean together on a lime-cream ground.

This archival note card of the orchid Cattleya Trianae var. The King from the Ranka-Fu orchid series is from Japan. Orchid portraits of this kind belong to a long tradition of botanical illustration, in which growers and artists recorded named hybrids and varieties by their flowers. A large white-pink flower with a vivid purple and yellow throat sits left of a second pink flower, above glossy dark leaves. The ground fades from light green to pale yellow near the base. It is 5 inches long and 7 high.

A genteel pair, wearing very daring lipstick.