Like other artists who travelled to South America, Heade was profoundly impressed by the fertile lushness of the tropics. His first paintings of hummingbirds date from 1863 in Brazil. Later, in 1870, following a trip to Panama, Colombia and Jamaica, the artist conceived of the idea of combining hummingbirds and orchids. The originality of these works, painted by Heade in his studio, lies in their fusion of still life and landscape, resulting in an overall dramatic effect.
