Jasminum odoratissimum (stue-jasmin); Punica granatum (granatæble) 1635 - 1664

Hans Simon Holtzbecker rendered this botanical study of Jasminum odoratissimum and Punica granatum in watercolor. The composition splits the picture plane into two distinct registers. The upper section features a delicate jasmine plant, its leaves and petite yellow flowers meticulously detailed. Below, a pomegranate branch displays a flower in full bloom, its clustered petals a riot of orange, alongside a nascent fruit. Holtzbecker's almost scientific rendering invites us to examine the structures of nature. The artwork also uses a semiotic system of signs. The rendering of each plant, isolated against the blank parchment, transforms them into specimens worthy of study. The arrangement, where each plant occupies its own space without overlap, highlights a sense of order. This ordering implies a deeper cultural impulse to classify and understand the natural world. Holtzbecker's work, therefore, exists not merely as a botanical record but as an exploration of knowledge itself.