The flowering cactus

Annie Mutrie and her elder sister Mary studied under George Wallis at the Manchester School of Design, and both specialised in painting flowers. The truthfulness of Annie's work was much praised by Ruskin 'All these flower paintings are remarkable for very lovely, pure, and yet unobtrusive colour - perfectly tender and yet luscious, and a richness of petal texture that seems absolutely scented. The arrangement is always graceful...' (Academy Notes, 1855).