Jasminum odoratissimum (stue-jasmin); Jasminum fruticans (busk-jasmin); Jasminum grandiflorum (duft-jasmin) 1649 - 1659

Curator: The delicacy here is striking. A quiet and meticulous observation of forms. Editor: It's certainly precise. But almost coldly so? Like a catalogue entry before any kind of art. Curator: That observation has merit. We’re viewing a page from Hans Simon Holtzbecker’s botanical drawings executed between 1649 and 1659; it resides at the Statens Museum for Kunst. The featured flora are three variants of jasmine: Jasminum odoratissimum, Jasminum fruticans, and Jasminum grandiflorum. It’s rendered in gouache and colored pencil. Note the stark juxtaposition of precise, delicate linework with expanses of negative space. Editor: Negative space serving almost as… blank canvas. Do we know where Holtzbecker acquired his materials? Were his pigments locally sourced or did the patronage of botanical science require a wider net for his mediums? The social context surrounding these commissions is also important; after all this detailed cataloguing comes directly out of a very material obsession, the cabinet of curiosity. Curator: Interesting points! In terms of purely formal construction, I am compelled by the artist's management of space. Three distinct plants inhabit this field, each rendered in minute detail, inviting an analytical appreciation of natural form. Note the almost perfect symmetry evident in the blooms. The variations in green hue also speak to botanical fidelity. Editor: Yes, botanical fidelity is definitely a virtue to ascribe to this, but the academic setting that fostered this artwork served some practical purpose: The consumption of resources, cultivation of colonies, this isn’t simply art, it's scientific imperialism. Curator: I take your point about broader implications and systems of power. The piece still evokes a sense of profound tranquility within its structure. Editor: A tranquil product perhaps. After all, so many unknown hands went into creating it! Thanks for elucidating that a bit. Curator: Absolutely, and thank you for drawing out an understanding of that context!