In 1864 Charles Aubry was a newcomer to photography, having
spent his entire career as a designer of carpets, textiles, and wallpaper. His
creation of nature studies came during a crisis in French decorative arts, when
it was clear that the British had surpassed the French in the design of
industrial goods. Aubry hoped to encourage French artistry by creating study
photographs of plants and flowers for French art schools. This photo captures
the forms and textures of fruit-laden branches in bright sunlight. Aubry must
have been particularly pleased with the result since he printed the image
despite a crack in the glass negative.