Solanum dulcamara (bittersød natskygge) 1649 - 1659

This delicate watercolor of the Solanum dulcamara, or bittersweet nightshade, was created by Hans Simon Holtzbecker, a botanical artist working in seventeenth-century Denmark. Notice the meticulous detail of the plant, each leaf and berry rendered with precision. Holtzbecker’s skill with watercolor allows for a realistic depiction of this plant's form and texture. It would have required countless hours of patient labor, as did all botanical illustration of the period. The painstaking process reflects a culture fascinated by the natural world, and eager to categorize and document it, in the context of global exploration and trade. But this image, as beautiful as it is, is also about control – a desire to tame nature through observation and representation. Holtzbecker has given us not just a picture, but a window into the science and society of his time. His work challenges us to consider how art, craft, and scientific inquiry can be intertwined.