Rosa hemisphaerica (svovlgul rose); Rosa ×alba (hvid rose) 1635 - 1664

Hans Simon Holtzbecker made this watercolour on vellum of two roses sometime in the 17th century. At the top, we see the Rosa hemisphaerica, or sulphur rose, and beneath it, the Rosa x alba, a white rose. Holtzbecker was working in Denmark at a time when the country was establishing itself as a significant European power. Art, science, and the natural world were closely linked in the cultural imagination of the period. Botanical illustrations such as this one played a vital role in scientific classification and the development of new knowledge. The artist was commissioned to produce a catalogue of flowers in the Royal Garden, a project initiated by King Christian IV. However, beyond scientific documentation, this artwork reflects the social and political context of its time. Royalty and the elite were eager to display their wealth and cultural refinement by commissioning elaborate illustrated books of this kind. To fully understand Holtzbecker's botanical illustrations, historians consult a range of sources. Scientific literature, garden history, and studies of patronage all shed light on the cultural and institutional contexts that shaped this work.