Alcea rosea (have-stokrose) 1649 - 1659

This watercolor painting by Hans Simon Holtzbecker, a prominent Danish artist of the 17th century, depicts three variations of hollyhocks, known botanically as Alcea rosea. Created between 1649 and 1659, the artwork showcases the artist's meticulous detail and masterful use of color in portraying the intricate structure of the flowers and their delicate foliage. The painting, currently housed at the SMK – Statens Museum for Kunst in Denmark, exemplifies the popular botanical art genre of the era, often used to document and study the natural world.