Zwei Raupen, eine Puppe und eine Eintagsfliege 1679

Curator: Oh, my, it’s giving me the shivers! Such meticulous details of things that make my skin crawl. Editor: Well, perhaps your skin will crawl a bit less once we explore what's before us: this is "Zwei Raupen, eine Puppe und eine Eintagsfliege"—"Two Caterpillars, a Pupa, and a Mayfly"—a watercolor drawing by Rochus van Veen, created in 1679, here at the Städel Museum. Curator: Okay, context: 17th century. Baroque era. I'm immediately thinking about the whole vanitas tradition and this intense interest in nature, right? There’s this… scientific curiosity, mixed with a strong dose of memento mori, contemplating fragility and transformation. It feels so Dutch still life. Editor: You read my mind! There's this hyperrealism, of course, typical of the scientific illustration style during this time, but also a bit macabre when contemplating what this illustrates, literally. Yet, what’s more evocative to me is this sense of suspended animation; like we're peering into a secret, self-contained world where everything is poised on the brink of change. Curator: It speaks volumes about human relationships with the natural world back then, doesn’t it? It highlights themes of growth and metamorphosis. Van Veen captures these humble creatures, elevating them to subjects worthy of careful attention. Editor: He’s basically making us rethink what we find beautiful, or what is worthy of art and contemplation. I love how it disrupts my preconceived notions of aesthetics, challenging me to find beauty in unexpected forms, a bunch of bugs. He is looking at them eye-to-eye. Curator: And don’t you find interesting how it's placed, not necessarily in context but isolated, a little floating world for the viewer? Perhaps the stark background places these life forms as stand-ins for bigger concerns, reminding the viewer about time's passage and the inevitable decline of everything. Editor: Right, which now leads me to see a parallel with current environmental concerns. We’re all part of interconnected webs of life. How we treat our tiniest neighbors will impact everyone’s well-being, as we continue facing habitat loss, climate change and everything else. Curator: Well, I definitely see the caterpillars in a different light now! That little tableau becomes much more layered, less creepy, and so thought-provoking! Editor: Absolutely. It's a tiny masterpiece that gives much more food for thought than initially thought.