Bloemen 1816 - 1852

This is “Bloemen”, or flowers, by jonkvrouw Elisabeth Kemper, who was born in 1799. Kemper’s watercolor is a delicate arrangement of botanicals, reflecting the cultural values and constraints placed on women of her era. During the 19th century, women of Kemper’s social standing were often confined to domestic roles, and artistic pursuits like botanical illustration were considered acceptable, even encouraged, as genteel hobbies. These activities provided women avenues for self-expression and intellectual stimulation, while reinforcing societal expectations of femininity and domesticity. Here, the flowers are meticulously rendered, each petal and leaf reflecting a close observation of nature, yet the composition feels artful and arranged. This reflects not just a scientific interest in botany, but also a desire to create beauty and order. In this way, Kemper both embraced and subtly transcended the limitations placed upon her, using her art to explore the world within the bounds of her prescribed role.