Mix of Butterfly pea (Clitoria ternatea) and Peony ‘Inspecteur Lavergne’ (Paeonia lactiflora ‘Inspecteur Lavergne’) anthotype by Émilie Léger

“Spring Revealed in Autumn Light” by Émilie Léger, Southwestern Québec, Canada
Parts used: Flower petals only, from dried peony and butterfly pea flowers
Amount: Petals from one dried ‘Inspecteur Lavergne’ peony flower and one handful of dried butterfly pea flowers, combined for a single botanical emulsion
Extracted by: Cooking. Both flowers were boiled together in a small quantity of water to extract their pigments
Solvent: A small quantity of water
Application: Three generous, hand-applied coats

Layers: 3, allowing each layer to dry before applying the next
Substrate: Canson mixed-media paper
Created with: Made with a floral image positive (dried hydrangea), produced through sunlight exposure on paper coated with emulsion
Exposure: Approximately 6 hours, outdoors in natural afternoon sunlight at the end of October, autumn 2026
UV strength: 3
Temperature: 15° Celsius or 59° Fahrenheit
Contrast: ✿ (Low)
Challenges or observations: This experiment produced a surprisingly visible image after no more than six hours of late-October sunlight in southwestern Quebec, Canada. The dried peony and butterfly pea flowers produced a blue-violet emulsion with delicate turquoise variations. Three generous layers were applied, with drying between coats. Further experiments are needed to determine how each flower contributes to the colour, contrast and exposure time.
Additional information: The peony petals came from a single ‘Inspecteur Lavergne’ flower harvested in spring 2026 and preserved by drying. This work explores botanical memory, seasonal transitions and the ephemeral nature of plant-based photographic images, as part of my ongoing research into botanical photographic processes and naturally derived photosensitive emulsions.
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Website: https://emilieleger.ca