Fritillaria imperialis (kejserkrone) 1649 - 1659

Hans Simon Holtzbecker created this image of a Fritillaria imperialis, or Crown Imperial in watercolor and gouache, sometime during his career in the 17th century. Holtzbecker was working in a world where botanical illustration was both scientific record and a display of wealth and global reach. The flower itself, native to the Middle East and South Asia, would have been a rare and precious commodity in Europe. Its depiction here is not just an attempt to capture its likeness, but also to celebrate its existence as a symbol of power. The very name “imperialis” suggests an association with royalty and empire, reflecting the hierarchical structures of the time. Consider the emotional weight carried by this flower. In a society deeply stratified by class and power, owning or even seeing such a plant was a privilege. Holtzbecker’s meticulous rendering invites us to reflect on the social meanings embedded in natural objects and the ways in which they were, and continue to be, powerful symbols.