Lilium chalcedonicum (rød turbanlilje) 1649 - 1659

Curator: I’m immediately struck by the grounded nature of this botanical drawing—pun intended, I suppose! It feels earthy, honest, even a little vulnerable, despite its delicate execution. Editor: Yes, Hans Simon Holtzbecker certainly gives us the "full picture" here, doesn't he? This lovely gouache, colored pencil, and drawing from the mid-17th century, entitled "Lilium chalcedonicum (rød turbanlilje)," is currently held at the SMK, the National Gallery of Denmark. He is equally intrigued by what grows above and below the earth. Curator: Exactly! It's more than just a pretty flower; it’s a study of life, almost like a portrait of the whole plant, warts and all. And those colors! The burnt orange against that creamy background… Delicious! Editor: I agree. And the symbolism here is rich. Lilies, for centuries, have represented purity and love, but the turban shape, that recurved form of the petals, brings in associations with the exotic, with distant lands, a hint of the adventurous spirit of the time when Europeans started travelling around the globe for commerce, exploration... and science! Curator: Science with an artistic heart, wouldn't you say? Look at the roots, almost skeletal, drawn with such care. They remind me of old anatomical drawings, a fascination with what lies beneath the surface. I am deeply moved by the realism. It also makes one ponder ideas of home, and what the world beyond our comfort holds, the good, the bad... the curious! Editor: Indeed. It's a reminder that beauty exists even in the most humble parts of life. Even when one is looking for beauty and "purity", there is no escaping the skeletal rawness of it all. Curator: And a memento mori. These are plants we will never see, because the drawing, it's there, eternal. It also reminds us of nature's fragile beauty and our responsibility to care for it, to respect the planet for what it has given to us, freely, even now. Editor: Quite so. Holtzbecker's delicate illustration encapsulates life, curiosity, and a certain, poignant temporality. A lot like life.