Born in Ayrshire, George Henry trained at the Glasgow School of Art and from early in his career was associated with other Scottish painters—the “Glasgow Boys”—who were influenced by Japanese aesthetics (Japonisme) and the work of James McNeill Whistler. Blowing Dandelions is among a group of particularly well-received works, including a number of landscapes, that he painted in Galloway during the 1880s and 1890s after he was persuaded by Edward Atkinson Hornel (1864–1933) to join the group living in the town of Kirkcudbright. Henry consciously worked in the tradition of the impressionists and postimpressionists, and his painting was often noted for its “decorative” qualities. Critical and sympathetic reviewers alike used this language to call attention to Henry’s emphasis on shapes and color rather than narrative or naturalistic representation. Gallery label for installation of YCBA collection, 2016