Persea: Blakeman, a 20x200 Vintage Edition
8"x10" ($24) | 11"x14" ($60) | 16"x20" ($240) | 24"x30" ($800)
We’re excited about avocados, and we aren’t afraid to own it. This kid gets us. Our renewed enthusiasm is thanks to today’s edition release—a gleaming, enticing example of outer beauty equaling inner, it makes us think of all that we love about the infinitely versatile, iconically delicious, impossibly spreadable tree-hanging delight. Just like your average millennial, we’d choose avocado toast over home ownership any day! (Literally never.) We’d also choose Persea: Blakeman to add to pretty much any art assortment. Avocado goes with everything.
Persea: Blakeman was carefully selected and meticulously remastered by our curatorial team. What you do with our handsome harvest is up to you, of course! This gorg, green goodie would look great in your kitchen or dining room, or stirred into your salon wall sitch, but we’re also really into the idea of doling out this edition as a host/hostess or housewarming gift. Eschewing the usual cutting board or bottle of wine, how about a limited-edition vintage artwork featuring everyone’s favorite fruit?
We picked this appetizing avocado from the USDA’s expansive stockpile of pomological watercolors—the same comprehensive collection from which we sourced this seductive peach and this trio of bright berries. [Fun fact: the avocado is really just a big ‘ol berry with a single, large seed.] The collection of over 7,500 illustrations was initiated in 1886 as a research reference for fruit breeders and growers, but the stunning botanical artworks have had serious staying power. Persea: Blakeman joined the fruticultural collection in 1917, painted by one of the USDA's most prolific artists at the time: Royal Charles Steadman. In his twenty-six year career, Steadman painted nearly 900 botanical illustrations, but this particular Persea stuck out at us. Its deeply hued, polished, demurely dimpled peel, perfectly proportioned pit, and smooth, green-to-yellow ombre interior is impeccably rendered and ridiculously inviting. It’s an avocado glamour shot, if you ask us.
Though the avocado as we know it probably originated in the Tehuacan Valley in the state of Puebla, Mexico, this particular variety popped up much later. In the early 1890’s a man named Juan Murrietta imported a considerable amount of ‘cados from Mexico to his homebase in the LA area. He and his friends propagated some of the seeds, and from those seedling trees sprang several new varieties that showed some promise for commercial purposes—Blakeman among them. None of them are currently grown commercially, but their appearance piqued interest in the commercial potential of our fine green friend with creamy, dreamy flesh. So we have the star of Persea: Blakeman partially to thanks for the popularity of the avocado in modern day America, and we have this print to thank for the popularity of the avocado in our office right now. Guac and roll, little guy.
With art for everyone,
Jen Bekman + Team 20x200
