Lilium pomponium (pompon-lilje); Lilium martagon (krans-lilje) 1649 - 1659

This botanical study was made by Hans Simon Holtzbecker, who died in 1671. It's rendered in watercolor on parchment. The smooth vellum gives the painting a delicate surface, with the luminosity of watercolor beautifully capturing the plant's organic forms. Holtzbecker was painstaking in his technique, using fine brushes and careful layering to portray three lily plants, complete with bulbs and roots. Note the labor involved in producing the parchment itself, which required considerable craft skill. Holtzbecker's technique belongs to a long tradition of botanical illustration, which served scientific purposes but also cultivated a particular aesthetic of observation. Remember, this combination of precision and artifice has always been central to the natural sciences, and prompts consideration of the labor and skill embedded in both artistic and scientific practices. Holtzbecker’s image invites us to appreciate the meticulous craftsmanship involved in its creation, and challenges any divide between the spheres of art and science.