Two Studies of the Leaves and Bud of the Rosa Centifolio, and a Study of the Verbascum Nigrum c. 19th century

Curator: Before us is Johann Wilhelm Marzorati’s delicate study titled, "Two Studies of the Leaves and Bud of the Rosa Centifolio, and a Study of the Verbascum Nigrum" currently held at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: It feels almost ghostly, like pressed flowers in an old botany book. The starkness really focuses your attention, doesn't it? Curator: Indeed, botanical illustration was greatly valued for scientific documentation. It helped disseminate knowledge and further understanding. Editor: I love the idea of art serving science. It makes you think about how observation is both a discipline and an art form itself. It makes you wonder: does the artist inject a soul into it somehow? Curator: Well, these studies also played a part in the socio-economic context of botany. The wealthy often commissioned them for their personal collections. Editor: It's strange how beauty and science can intertwine, isn’t it? The lines are not quite so clear. Curator: Precisely. Looking at Marzorati’s rendering, it is remarkable how it transcends being merely scientific. Editor: Yes, there's an undeniable poetry. A simple sketch can reveal so much about nature and our relationship to it.