Original Botanical Watercolor of Prunus Pissardii with French Poem Verso

A beautiful original botanical watercolor study labeled “Prunus Pissardii” on the lower left, presented unframed in a white mat. The front features a flowering plum branch with soft pink blossoms, deep red-purple leaves, and small plum-like fruit, all painted with a delicate hand and lovely seasonal color.

The reverse makes the piece especially charming, with a handwritten French poem by André Theuriet titled “Le Merle” from Nos Oiseaux. The poem describes a blackbird singing in blooming plum trees in March, sensing spring even through late frosts, and dreaming ahead to cherries, sun-filled vines, and harvest. It pairs beautifully with the front botanical subject — blossom, fruit, spring, and poetry all in one small work.

This piece feels personal and collected, with the quiet charm of an artist’s botanical study and the added romance of handwritten French verse. Lovely for a kitchen, garden room, bedroom, nursery, powder bath, or layered with other botanicals.

Condition: Good vintage condition with light age-related toning and minor surface wear. Presented unframed in a white mat. Backside includes handwritten French poem and decorative initial. Mat shows light wear consistent with age.

Estimated age: likely mid to late 20th century.

Translation on verso: 

The handwritten poem on the back appears to be “Le Merle” by André Theuriet, from Nos Oiseaux. It translates roughly as:

In March, the blackbird, the merry whistler,
Sings in the flowering plum trees.

Despite the late frosts
That whiten the green meadows,
He feels spring coming through
The sky striped with sleet.

Long before its time, he goes dreaming
Of slopes filled with cherries,
And breathing in exquisite scents,
He whistles, his beak to the wind.

From far away, like a strange mirage,
He sees beneath the red shade
The vines full of sun,
The ripe grapes ready for harvest.

And the blackbird, the merry whistler,
Sings in the flowering plum trees.

Dimensions: 12.25 x 16