Pauwenkers (Ixora coccinea) 1793

This is Hendrik Schwegman's 'Pauwenkers (Ixora coccinea),' made with pen, brush, and watercolor. The artwork has a softness that comes from the delicate, thin washes of pigment. Notice how the artist renders the leaves with subtle gradations of green, achieving a convincing sense of volume. The flowers are built up from a precise network of lines and dots. Schwegman seems interested in naturalistic representation, yet his hand is always evident, especially in the cross-hatching of shadows. Plant drawings like this were part of a much larger project: the Linnaeus system of classification, an attempt to categorize all living things. This scientific ambition went hand in hand with Dutch colonialism. Exotic botanical specimens were brought to Europe, where artists recorded their features for study. Botanical illustration therefore occupies an interesting space, between art, science, and the expansion of global capitalism. Looking closely at the materials and labor that went into this image helps us understand the complex history it represents.