Hand Colored Photograph by Ray Jerome Baker: Allamanda Hendersoni

On display, a lone yellow blossom peeks out from a thicket of deep green leaves.

This hand colored photograph is by Allamanda Hendersoni, and dates to the mid 20th century. Hand colored photographs were made by applying transparent oils or dyes to a black and white print, a practice that was common before color film became widely available. Looking closer, a vertical image dense with glossy green foliage, with a single small yellow flower with five rounded petals at the center. The colors look hand-tinted over a darker base, and the leaves overlap into soft layers. A narrow pale border edges it. It is 5 inches wide and 7 high.

A tiny spark of sunshine in a very crowded hedge.