Decorative Details Ellis Rowan was commissioned by Sydney-based China importers to visit New Guinea and paint wildflowers and Birds of Paradise. Comparing the paintings she made of Birds of Paradise on paper with the plate designs she painted on the muslin discs, indicates that she likely painted the former first because they are more closely aligned to her traditional working methods that is, being watercolour on rectangular sheets of paper. The gold borders on the discs resemble the gold rim of the plates.