Rose and bluebells 

Christiane Friederike Stricker made this painting of roses and bluebells some time around the turn of the 19th century, but its charm obscures the interesting social and institutional context that made such an image possible. This botanical painting is a product of the Enlightenment and the rise of scientific thinking in Europe. The intense observation of nature combined with the detailed rendering of color and shape reflect an increasing interest in accurately documenting the natural world. This impulse found support in new institutions, such as botanical gardens and natural history museums, as well as in the rise of scientific societies. But it also speaks to the social history of women in the late 1700s, as women were gaining access to scientific and artistic training. As historians, we look to the archives of scientific academies and women's groups in order to better understand this work. In doing so, we see this painting not just as a pretty flower, but as evidence of broader cultural shifts.