Anemone hepatica (blå anemone) 1649 - 1659

Editor: This is Hans Simon Holtzbecker's *Anemone hepatica*, also known as *blå anemone*, made with mixed media between 1649 and 1659. It feels quite formal, like a botanical study. The roots are fascinating! What symbols do you think Holtzbecker might be exploring? Curator: I see the anemone as a symbol itself, heavily laden with meaning that stretches back centuries before Holtzbecker put pencil to paper. It represented abandonment in the Victorian language of flowers and also resurrection. Here, the carefully depicted roots ground us. It isn’t just a pretty bloom; it's a thing anchored, resilient, capable of rebirth. Do the roots change how you interpret each variant? Editor: I hadn’t considered the roots anchoring us to a particular meaning! It does make the "abandonment" association less obvious. It's almost like Holtzbecker is making the statement that, despite its delicate beauty, the anemone perseveres and triumphs through hardship. Curator: Precisely! The roots remind us that even the most fleeting beauty is rooted in something substantial. And think of the colors chosen - the symbolic meaning each variant takes, given Holtzbecker’s era. Are those colors purely aesthetic choices? I think not! They may allude to various emotional or spiritual states, connected to earthly survival and the cycle of the seasons. What do the colours speak to you? Editor: The blues and whites especially make me think of purity and tranquility. Maybe this work speaks to both the fragility and resilience of life, reflected in the contrast of delicate blooms and strong roots. Curator: Yes! The apparent contrast may signify that what appears to be weak can possess hidden strength. Seeing all of these together in a botanical presentation offers a more direct access to an entire belief system embedded in cultural memory!