Anjers 1677 - 1755

Editor: Here we have "Anjers," a botanical drawing attributed to Elias van Nijmegen, likely created sometime between 1677 and 1755. It's a delicate work in pen, watercolor, and possibly etching. What strikes me is how fragile the flowers seem, like they might crumble if you touched them. What do you make of it? Curator: Oh, fragile is a perfect word! To me, it’s a whisper of a memory, isn’t it? Van Nijmegen is almost caressing the paper with his pen. See how the lines are so light, barely there? I wonder, was he perhaps documenting these flowers from his own garden? It has such a personal feel. Almost like a love letter to nature itself. Does it feel staged to you? Editor: Not really, there is an off-the-cuff immediacy about it. But it does lack some vibrancy in color, especially compared to today’s botanical illustrations. Is that typical of baroque botanical art? Curator: That's a brilliant observation! The subdued palette suggests a different focus than mere accurate reproduction. Remember, this was pre-photography. What story is he telling about nature's temporality? I think he's inviting us to contemplate the beauty in ephemerality, the poignant fleetingness of the bloom. Do you find yourself thinking about mortality, about cycles? Editor: Definitely! I see it now. It's less about vibrant life, and more about... faded beauty, a wistful sense of time passing. Curator: Exactly. Maybe these “Anjers” are reflections of our lives as much as records of petals and stems. I always find that interesting! Editor: Yeah! I see the piece differently now, the color gives the flowers such an emotive atmosphere.