Citrus medica (cedrat) 1649 - 1659

Hans Simon Holtzbecker made this watercolor painting of a citron, a citrus fruit, sometime in the 17th century. Holtzbecker was working in a tradition of botanical illustration, where close observation and meticulous rendering were key. The artist must have been deeply familiar with the techniques of watercolor, building up thin layers of pigment to mimic the subtle variations in the fruit's skin, the juicy pulp, and the delicate peel. It's interesting to consider the social context of this painting. Citrons were not native to Northern Europe, so Holtzbecker likely encountered this specimen through trade networks. Its presence in a still life suggests a world of global exchange and consumption, where even the most humble objects could carry a wealth of cultural meaning. The painting elevates the fruit, transforming it from a simple commodity into an object of beauty and contemplation. Ultimately, this image reminds us that the value and meaning we assign to objects are deeply intertwined with the ways they are made, traded, and consumed.