Paardenbloem before 1893

This is Willem Wenckebach's "Paardenbloem," a detailed drawing of dandelions made sometime between 1860 and 1937. During Wenckebach's lifetime, there was a growing Dutch artistic interest in depicting the natural world. In this botanical drawing, the dandelions, often dismissed as weeds, are rendered with a striking attention to detail. Wenckebach invites us to see beauty in the overlooked and the common. One cannot help but notice the contrast between the plant's delicate, ephemeral nature and the sharp, almost thorny edges of the leaves. The dandelion, with its contrasting features, becomes a symbol of resilience and quiet strength. While rooted in the tradition of botanical illustration, Wenckebach’s drawing encourages a deeper reflection on the beauty and complexity of the natural world and allows us to consider our relationship to the environment around us.