Rozen 1670 - 1726

Gerard Valck created this print of roses sometime between 1661 and 1726. In the Dutch Golden Age, the print market expanded to include botanical illustrations. How does the context of this print influence its meaning? The Dutch Republic was a major center for botanical study, cultivation, and trade. The Hortus Botanicus in Leiden, one of the earliest botanical gardens, was founded in 1590 and plants from all over the world were grown. The passion for botany trickled down to all levels of society, and images of flowers were collected in albums or displayed as wall decoration. Valck's print thus participates in a wider cultural interest in natural science and the commercialization of plants. One can look to the historical context of the print, to sources such as botanical treatises and nursery catalogs, to understand its cultural significance.