I recently came across this rather lovely old album; it’s one of those collections that immediately pulls you in. Page after page of hand-painted fruits, some familiar, others completely baffling, all rendered in bright watercolours.
The book is known as the Album of 70 Asian Fruit Paintings, and it dates back to the 19th century. The artist isn’t known, which somehow makes it even more appealing. It feels like a quiet, slightly mysterious record of tropical fruits from across Southeast Asia.
Each exotic fruit watercolour focuses on a single fruit or a small grouping, often shown whole and cut open. That means you get both the outer texture and the inner detail, which makes the images as visually interesting as they are informative.
A Mix of Exotic Fruits
Some of the fruits are recognisable: bananas, citrus, and jackfruit, but others might have you second-guessing what you’re looking at. What I like is that these aren’t overly polished scientific plates. They feel more informal and observational, which gives them a slightly quirky charm.
Although the album isn’t clearly attributed, it was likely created in Indonesia or nearby parts of Southeast Asia during the Dutch East Indies. The region was a hub for trade and botanical study, and the mix of tropical fruits, Chinese labels, and European-style presentation suggests a place where different cultures naturally overlapped.
If you’ve seen my post on the Chinese Watercolours of Asian Fruits, there’s a similar feel to some of these illustrations, although this album is a bit looser and less formal in style.
They sit somewhere between decorative art and natural history illustration. If you enjoy the more structured scientific style of Adolphe Millot’s fruit and vegetable prints, these feel like a more relaxed, painterly counterpart. They also pair nicely with the brighter, more polished illustrations in my collection of watercolour fruit from the pomological collection.
How to Download the Exotic Fruits
All of the images from this album are in the public domain, so you’re free to download and use them. On Pictureboxblue, I’ve selected and cleaned up some of the best illustrations from the book for easy downloading. You’ll find high-resolution versions ready to print and use.
To download:
- Scroll down to the image you like
- Click on the title above it to open the full-size version
- Right-click (or tap and hold) and save the image
These fruit illustrations are surprisingly versatile. Because the compositions are quite clean, they work well both on their own and as part of a set.
A few easy ideas:
- Frame a small collection for a kitchen or dining area
- Use them for decoupage on trays or plant pots
- Turn them into greeting cards or gift tags
- Mix them with other botanical prints for a gallery wall
They also fit nicely with tropical-themed crafts, especially if you like working with bold colours and natural motifs.
Exotic Fruit Prints 1-10
In Chinese culture, lychees are often associated with good luck and happiness, which is why they’re popular at festivals and celebrations. They are small, sweet, and just a little bit special.
The almond peach (really the kernel inside an apricot) pops up quite a bit in Chinese desserts. It has that subtle almondy flavour you’ll recognise from things like almond tofu, so it’s one of those ingredients that’s quietly everywhere once you know to look for it.
Guava is one of those fruits that feels very everyday in many tropical countries. Often eaten fresh with a pinch of salt or chilli, or turned into juices and snacks.
Star fruit is one of those fruits that seems designed for decoration. Those neat star slices make it a favourite for brightening up drinks and desserts, even if the flavour itself is quite mild and refreshing.
Longans are often called “dragon’s eyes” in China because of their translucent flesh and dark seeds.
Samrong (often referring to the fruit of Sterculia foetida) is usually roasted or boiled and eaten a bit like chestnuts.
Print 9: Yangmei Chinese Strawberry
Yangmei, often called Chinese bayberry (Myrica rubra), is a really popular summer fruit in China. Sweet, slightly tart, and very juicy, but quite delicate, so you don’t often see it exported.
Watercolour Exotic Fruits 11-20
Loquats (Eriobotrya japonica) have a long history in Asia, where they’re not only enjoyed as a seasonal fruit but also used in traditional remedies—especially the leaves, which are brewed into teas for their soothing qualities.
The fruit of the Indian Rhododendron (Melastoma malabathricum) is a small, edible, fleshy berry enclosed in a green, hairy capsule that splits open when ripe, revealing a dark purple or black pulp and orange seeds. Common in Southeast Asia, these sweet, mildly astringent fruits are foraged by locals, often staining the mouth black, and are used in jams and jellies or eaten fresh.
Fortune fruit (Sterculia lanceolata) is one of those lesser-known fruits that’s more familiar locally than globally. Its seeds are sometimes eaten roasted, and the tree itself is often valued just as much for shade and traditional uses as for the fruit.
Durian (Durio zibethinus) and jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus) are two of the most iconic tropical fruits in Southeast Asia. Both are large, spiky, and impossible to ignore.
Durian is famous for its strong smell; people tend to either love it or hate it, while the soft flesh inside is rich and custard-like. Jackfruit, on the other hand, is much milder and sweeter, with a firmer texture that’s often compared to pulled meat when unripe, which is why it’s become popular in plant-based cooking.
Check out this collection of pineapple prints on Pictureboxblue.
Exotic Fruit Watercolours 21-30
The sacred lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) holds deep cultural significance across Asia, symbolising purity and renewal as it rises clean and beautiful from muddy water. It’s also a very practical plant; its seeds, roots, and even stems are all used in cooking, so it’s as useful as it is symbolic.
Snake melons (Cucumis melo var. flexuosus) are long, twisting fruits that look a bit like cucumbers, and they’re often eaten similarly. Fresh, crisp, and slightly refreshing rather than sweet, making them more of a salad staple than a dessert fruit.
Final thoughts
This little album is one of those quiet discoveries that grows on you; the more you look, the more interesting it becomes. The mix of unusual fruits, soft watercolour style, and cultural influences makes it feel both decorative and slightly documentary.
If you enjoy this kind of vintage natural history artwork, there’s plenty more to explore on the site. You can browse a wider mix of botanical subjects in the Vintage Fruit and Vegetable Prints collection, or take a look at the beautifully detailed Japanese Nature Charts from the Meiji Era, which have a more structured, scientific feel. And for something a little more observational and sketch-like, the work of Jan Brandes Nature Illustrations is well worth a look, with its detailed studies of Asian plants and wildlife.
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