Studies of Purple and Blue Flowers c. 1700 - 1725

Elias van Nijmegen created this delicate watercolor study of purple and blue flowers on paper. Immediately striking is the contrast between the flowers’ vivid blues and purples and the pale, almost translucent leaves and stems. This color relationship creates a visual hierarchy, drawing our eye to the blossoms and their distinct forms. The composition employs a semiotic system of signs, where each floral element acts as a signifier. The drooping bell-shaped blue flowers at the top differ significantly from the flatter, more open purple flowers below. The light watercolor medium allows van Nijmegen to explore transparency and depth, particularly in the layered petals, engaging with ideas around perception and representation. Consider how the artist's choice to leave the background untouched impacts our perception of the flowers. This decision emphasizes the intentionality behind each brushstroke. These formal qualities highlight a concern for the expressive potential inherent in the medium and the close study of form and color.