The last common ancestor of humans.
This little 2” x 1.5" framed australopithecus is inspired by traditional Early Renaissance miniatures, which developed out of the medieval tradition of manuscript illumination. Miniatures were gifted and exchanged between family or lovers, sometimes being intended only for the eyes of the recipient, and were housed in ornate frames or lockets. Originally mounted on symbolically selected playing cards (Kings and Queens), this piece displays the last common ancestor we humans share mounted on a vintage cataloging index card from a book related to biology and evolution as a backing. I then adhered genuine calfskin vellum as a surface to paint on. With a modern twist to an old art form, “Last Common Ancestor” illustrates the origin of species in a tender and nostalgic way, as though we are fondly looking back or admiring a relative in the phylogeny of our shops family tree.
Product code: Shops Australopithecus Original Watercolor Painting