Bring the vibrant, tropical warmth and exquisite scientific precision of late 19th-century European botany into your home with this exceptional antique botanical art print. Originally hand-painted in 1895 at the historic Botanical Garden of the University of Basel, Switzerland, this stunning watercolor study documents Passiflora coccinea (commonly known as the scarlet passionflower or red passion vine), a striking climbing species native to the lush rainforests of the Guianas and northern South America.

Featuring a delicate, climbing green vine decorated with rich forest-green leaves, two unopened tubular crimson buds, and capped by a spectacular, fully expanded scarlet-red starburst blossom, this meticulously restored scientific illustration is set against an open, naturally warm, textured ivory backdrop. It elegantly marries detailed historical exploration with the clean, modern beauty of biophilic design, offering a calm yet visually striking anchor for your walls.

The History: Founded in 1589, the Botanical Garden of the University of Basel (Botanischer Garten der Universität Basel) is one of the world’s oldest and most respected botanical institutions, celebrated for its historic collection of global exotic and medicinal flora. By the late Victorian era, European botanical gardens competed to cultivate, flower, and meticulously catalog rare tropical species imported from the Americas and other remote colonial territories. This remarkable plate, dated “1895”, was painted on-site by a resident Swiss botanical illustrator to record a flourishing Passiflora coccinea specimen. Originally used as an educational teaching aid for students of taxonomy, this beautifully preserved watercolor stands today as a classic testament to 19th-century horticultural passion and fine-art natural history.

The Aesthetic: A masterclass in botanical realism and graceful linear flow, this composition captures the natural climbing habit of the passionflower vine. The central stem curves gently across the canvas, supporting beautifully detailed, rich green leaves with fine serrations along their margins. Two elegant, teardrop-shaped red buds sit poised on the vine, leading the eye upward to the stunning main blossom. The flower itself is rendered in deeply saturated crimson and ruby-red pigments, showing off its star-like structure of radiating petals and a delicate, white-tipped corona at the center. Completed by authentic, elegant hand-scripted annotations reading “Passiflora coccinea / Guiana”, “Passifloraceae”, and “Basel / Botan. Garten 1895.”, this print effortlessly infuses contemporary spaces with a sense of scholarly curiosity and vintage charm.

It is an ideal statement piece for:

Plant collectors, gardeners, botanists, historians, and lovers of classical Victorian botanical lithographs and watercolors.
Light-filled kitchens, cozy dining spaces, bedrooms, entryways, or as a vibrant pop of organic color in a gallery wall.
Biophilic, Japandi, bohemian, modern farmhouse, or transitional interior design styles that value soft, natural textures and rich, grounding color palettes.

Product Details

Artist: Swiss Botanical Illustrator (University of Basel Archive)

Title: Passiflora Coccinea (Passifloraceae Study)

Subject: Antique Swiss Botanical Garden Passionflower Watercolor and Taxonomy Study

Original Date: 1895

Style: 19th-Century Scientific Watercolor / Academic Horticultural Art

Museum-Quality Vintage Prints

Our vintage posters are made to order using premium Giclée printing techniques. Every piece is printed on thick, heavyweight fine art paper (200gsm) with a smooth, completely matte finish.

We specifically source an acid-free, natural-toned paper that perfectly recreates the warmth and authentic character of original mid-century lithographs. Unlike standard glossy posters, our premium matte finish ensures there is zero glare when your artwork is framed behind glass, resulting in a rich, museum-quality display. Combined with long-lasting, UV-resistant pigment inks, your print is designed to remain vibrant for generations.