Solanum pseudocapsicum (jerusalem-koralbær) 1649 - 1659

Editor: Here we have Hans Simon Holtzbecker’s *Solanum pseudocapsicum*, a watercolor, gouache, and colored-pencil drawing from sometime between 1649 and 1659. It feels incredibly precise, like an attempt to capture and classify nature. How might we interpret that impulse? Curator: I see this botanical drawing as part of a larger colonial project. Consider the historical context: the 17th century was an age of exploration and exploitation. Botanical drawings weren't simply objective representations; they were tools used to categorize and ultimately commodify the natural world for European powers. How does that knowledge change your view of the artwork? Editor: It's a little unsettling, to be honest. It feels less like an innocent observation and more like an act of claiming. Does the artist's intent matter in this interpretation? Curator: Intent is a tricky thing. Even if Holtzbecker's intention was purely scientific, the drawing still participated in a system that enabled colonial exploitation. Look at the plant itself – *Solanum pseudocapsicum* – a species native to South America, meticulously rendered. The very act of isolating it, studying it, taking it out of its ecosystem, has political implications. Do you see it now? Editor: I do. It highlights the power dynamics inherent in observation and documentation. So, we can't really separate the aesthetics of the drawing from the historical context of colonialism and early science? Curator: Precisely. Seeing the art within a socio-political context can open up a richer understanding. These beautiful images can be documents of knowledge-gathering, but also of imperial power and control. The plant's image became a possession of sorts, detached from its homeland. Editor: I hadn't considered how deeply intertwined art and colonialism could be. Thank you for helping me see it through that lens. Curator: And thank you. It's through these dialogues that we can unpack the layers of history and power embedded within even the seemingly simplest of images.