Gewone dopheide en bezemstruik 1617

This engraving of ‘Gewone dopheide en bezemstruik’, or common heather and broom, was created by Crispijn van de Passe the Younger. The image is a page from a botanical book, likely intended for scholarly study or perhaps as a luxury item for wealthy collectors. It was made during the Dutch Golden Age, a time of immense economic and cultural growth in the Netherlands. This period saw the rise of scientific inquiry and a fascination with the natural world, driven in part by the expansion of Dutch trade routes. The meticulous detail in van de Passe's work reflects a culture increasingly focused on empirical observation and classification. These botanical illustrations served as a way to document and understand the world, with the growth of scientific societies and the establishment of botanical gardens acting as institutions that greatly shaped the production of this kind of imagery. By researching the history of botanical illustration and the social context of the Dutch Golden Age, we can better understand the cultural values and scientific aspirations that shaped this seemingly simple image of heather and broom.