Stervormige bloemen 1755 - 1775

Curator: Here at the Rijksmuseum, we're looking at Johann Heinrich Hess's "Stervormige bloemen," a pen and ink drawing and etching that dates to sometime between 1755 and 1775. Editor: Ooh, delicate and sort of whimsical. It feels like a botanical illustration from a dream. Not quite right, somehow. A little bit otherworldly. Curator: Hess was known for botanical studies, but what's fascinating here is how he departs from strict representation. Note the quasi-symmetrical arrangement, and the way the leaves take on an almost geometric pattern. This work can be seen as emblematic of the period’s shifting attitudes towards natural science, engaging in a complex negotiation between empirical observation and artistic interpretation. Editor: Exactly! The so-called "flowers" near the top resemble stars, but those hanging below look a bit like onions or even planets. This reminds me of illustrations from old alchemical texts—secret knowledge rendered in plant form. The whole thing shimmers with this slightly unnerving precision. Curator: Yes, there's definitely a sense of encoded meaning. Considering the scientific and philosophical debates of the time regarding categorization and the perceived "order" of nature, one could argue Hess is questioning those very systems by blurring the lines between categories. Where does scientific documentation end and imaginative interpretation begin? Editor: Or, maybe Hess just thought it looked cool! Haha! I’m serious though, there’s a raw feeling, a spirit of creative free will in it. Even if he meant it to be more scientific, his emotions seeped in somehow. It reminds me of a passage from Hélène Cixous. Curator: An interesting thought to consider through a Cixousian lens. It prompts us to reconsider not only the act of artistic creation itself but to also delve into art historical analyses from new theoretical standpoints. Editor: Agreed. Ultimately, it makes me happy—a curious kind of happy, tinged with maybe a touch of delightful anxiety. Curator: An encapsulation, perhaps, of how the scientific revolution itself felt. Editor: Precisely! Now that's something I can reflect on later!