Irissen Possibly 1897

Sientje Mesdag-van Houten rendered these irises in watercolor with the signature ‘SMvH’ on October 14, 1897. The composition is dominated by two irises, each rendered with delicate washes of color. The artist creates a play of light and shadow, using the translucence of the watercolor to suggest volume and depth. The purple iris in the foreground shows brushstrokes that define its drooping form, while the iris behind it has open petals in lighter hues of grey and lilac. The choice of watercolor, with its fluidity, seems deliberately aligned with the ephemeral quality of the flowers. The negative space of the white background enhances the visual impact, allowing the irises to almost float on the surface. Mesdag-van Houten’s work here isn't just a botanical study, but rather an exploration into the nature of representation itself. The painting serves as a site where the natural world is encountered, interpreted, and then translated into artistic form.