Lilium martagon (krans-lilje) 1635 - 1664

Curator: The delicacy here just strikes me. There's a stillness to this botanical illustration, and the purple blooms are just gorgeous. Editor: I agree, there's something almost otherworldly about it. We’re looking at “Lilium martagon (krans-lilje)”, created sometime between 1635 and 1664. Hans Simon Holtzbecker rendered this in drawing and gouache. Curator: Holtzbecker was meticulous. It reminds me a bit of the vanitas paintings popular at the time, yet instead of reminding us of death it is just showcasing all its delicate intricacies. Do you think the botanical accuracy was particularly valued then? Editor: Absolutely. In this period, botany was linked with medicine, alchemy, religion and colonialism; detailed illustrations like this were invaluable for understanding—and exploiting—the natural world. Lilies themselves are fascinating symbols; purity, resurrection, hope. I can see how such a delicate thing can be considered precious in an image. Curator: Yes, in different periods different types of lilies had varied and competing meanings. And with the color on top of all those concepts, you have so much to discuss regarding it. But I am interested, if you will humor me, what about the scale and composition, did Holtzbecker tried to convey here? Is the position that the lilly has meant to hint towards its life cycle? Editor: Potentially. See how Holtzbecker positioned the flower on the page? Centered, with those almost prayer-like buds reaching upwards. And that single stem! Its upward drive has a really vital force to it, not static at all to my eyes, as if the illustration has a drive. He must have taken a liking to the specimen. Curator: Yes. I’ll admit, botanical illustration isn’t usually my cup of tea. But there’s something truly captivating here. Thanks for illuminating this one. Editor: My pleasure. It is remarkable what stories we are able to tell once we allow an image to talk.