Studienblatt mit einer Mohnblume, Pflaumen, Kirschen, zwei Käfern, einer Fliege, einer Biene und einem Frosch 

This study sheet with a poppy, plums, cherries, two beetles, a fly, a bee, and a frog was created by Johann Daniel Bager, sometime in the 18th century. Bager used graphite and watercolor, humble materials to capture the seemingly infinite variety of the natural world. The drawing's effect lies in the artist's close observation of the details of each specimen: the furry stem of the poppy, the waxy skin of the plums, the translucent wings of the fly. Look closely, and you can almost feel the textures represented here. This wasn't just art for art's sake. Such studies were critical for scientific illustration at the time, an integral part of botany and zoology. They were also increasingly relevant to the burgeoning agricultural and horticultural industries. Bager's work reflects how the act of drawing itself could bridge art, science, and commerce. So, next time you bite into a juicy plum, remember the labor and knowledge required to bring it to your table.