Herfstnarcis (Sternbergia lutea) 1617

Curator: This is Crispijn van de Passe II's "Herfstnarcis (Sternbergia lutea)," an engraving from 1617 currently housed at the Rijksmuseum. Editor: Immediately, I'm struck by the level of detail he achieves with seemingly simple lines. The subtle textures on the bulb, the paper's aged tone…it feels almost like a study in monochrome, a meditation on form. Curator: Precisely. Notice how he contrasts the robust bulb, rendered with a network of lines suggesting its rough texture, with the delicate, almost ethereal quality of the flower itself. This could symbolize the duality of nature, the hidden potential within. Editor: It speaks volumes about the printmaking process of the era. Engraving on a metal plate demands precision and control, a real engagement with the materials themselves. It would have taken hours just to achieve that single stem. The craft, the labor behind such precise detail… it is mesmerizing! Curator: I'm intrigued by what seems to be multiple stages of life represented on the one page. We have a bloom, what looks like a bud, and then the bulb. Each holds unique symbolism related to growth, life cycles, and perhaps even resurrection. Editor: And each presented using clearly distinct applications of ink! Some of the botanical prints of the time are stunning in color; however, it’s striking how potent just a controlled hand working with paper and ink can be. There is almost nothing here but the line and its carefully controlled variance. Curator: Exactly! Van de Passe uses line not just to depict form, but also to convey meaning, layering a whole wealth of symbolic understanding onto the botanical study. Editor: Looking at the aging of the paper and its survival really drives home its precious quality as an artifact, as a testament to material culture over hundreds of years. The piece has become something that is both a natural observation as well as the artifact it lives on. Curator: I find that so moving too, and I keep wondering about Van de Passe’s reasons for depicting these Narcissus flowers specifically and what this composition meant to viewers at the time. Editor: The sheer craft and delicate mark making truly offer us such great insight and invite reflection on nature and its impact.