Drie pioenrozen en twee lelies 1679 - 1702

This print, "Three Peonies and Two Lilies," was produced anonymously, though it was very likely created to be included in a botanical textbook in the 17th or 18th century. The Dutch Republic was a hub for scientific discovery. A print like this would have been significant in solidifying Dutch trading power through the formal study of botany. These flowers, peonies and lilies, would have held particular economic, social, and cultural value in the Netherlands at the time. The precise details of their forms were meant to be studied. Without an artist's signature, it is difficult to know whether this image critiques the art institution or aligns with its conservative view. As historians, we can examine botanical texts from the period to discern the cultural importance of the flowers it depicts and, therefore, the place of this print in the story of the Dutch Republic.