Colorful oil painting of a Canary Island prickly pear: botanical art on cotton canvas.

Native to what is now Mexico, the prickly pear cactus arrived in the Canary Islands in the mid-16th century, after the conquest of the Americas. Its fruit, the prickly pear cactus, became an alternative food during times of scarcity, and the leaves were also used as animal fodder. For generations, Canarians learned to make the most of this hardy and generous plant.
But the history of the prickly pear cactus in the Canary Islands doesn't stop with its fruit. A white powder, like dirty cotton, appeared on its leaves: it was the cochineal, an insect that feeds on the plant's sap. From this parasite, carmine, a highly valuable natural dye, was obtained.
During the 19th century, the Canary Islands became one of the world's leading exporters of cochineal. The natural carmine obtained from prickly pear cactus dyed fabrics in Paris and was used in cosmetics in London. It was said that the most intense red color on the planet came from a Canary Island prickly pear cactus.
This high-quality painting is printed on 100% premium cotton canvas.