Antirrhinum majus (have-løvemund) 1635 - 1664

This botanical study, *Antirrhinum majus*, or Snapdragons, was made by Hans Simon Holtzbecker, using watercolour and gouache. The composition is immediately striking: three near-identical plants stand almost regimented against the light paper, their verticality disrupted only by the gentle curve of each stem and the angled leaves. The artist’s formal approach creates a tension between naturalism and structure. Holtzbecker focuses on the plant's architecture, depicting the shape of the flower and the symmetry of the leaf arrangement with precision. The use of watercolour allows for delicate gradations of colour, yet the overall effect is one of graphic clarity rather than atmospheric depth. There is a methodical, almost scientific quality to the work. The Snapdragon is presented as an object of study, its form meticulously recorded. This approach aligns with the broader cultural interest of the period in cataloguing and understanding the natural world. Holtzbecker's rendering invites us to consider how the depiction of nature is always mediated through artistic form and structure.