Consolida regalis (korn-ridderspore) 1649 - 1659

Curator: Right now we are looking at "Consolida regalis (korn-ridderspore)" which translates to Field Larkspur, a painting, drawing or perhaps both, by Hans Simon Holtzbecker. It’s believed to have been made sometime between 1649 and 1659. The delicate renderings are done in gouache and watercolor. Editor: It gives the distinct feeling of observing nature through a microscope. Those watercolor washes allow light to filter through, and it’s interesting to see the complete plant, roots and all! The palette has such an ephemeral quality, and there's something inherently fragile in this botanic depiction. Curator: It is! You have to consider the role of scientific documentation at this time. There's such methodical intention that underpins all the decisions Holtzbecker would've made concerning materials and the ways different pigments perform together on paper. Did Holtzbecker perhaps have ties to artisanal practices that gave him easier access to better pigments? I find myself thinking of guilds and trade routes and ecological imperialism as I look at this. Editor: That really opens up its depth for me. I was initially drawn in by this quiet and still elegance, the patient rendering of such lovely flora. But I find I love knowing of the context behind its construction even more; of trade and intentionality behind its visual delicacy! Holtzbecker uses line so elegantly to denote texture, but there's also so much more in those gentle decisions he would’ve had to make about how the watercolor sat upon the page! Curator: I agree, the piece evokes something special in you, the materials speaking to process, production, the journey of pigments! It speaks about how people lived and produced, not just of pretty flowers. Editor: Yes, absolutely! And I wonder about Holtzbecker himself, if the plants inspired in him an ephemeral hope, or did he seek, perhaps, more grounded goals within the physical making process? Fascinating to consider!