Lelie en andere bloemen 1820 - 1833

Anton Weiss created this drawing of a lily and other flowers on paper in the first half of the 19th century. Floral studies like this one were popular in the Netherlands and broader Europe, particularly amongst women artists who were often excluded from other genres of art. The study of flowers was considered an appropriate pastime for women, reflecting societal expectations around domesticity and femininity. But we shouldn't dismiss these works as simply decorative. In a time of increasing industrialization, detailed studies of the natural world served as a form of scientific documentation, particularly botany. They were also collected in albums which could be shared amongst friends and acquaintances. To understand this drawing more fully, you might investigate the educational systems that were developing at the time, and the growth of scientific societies. What was the role of women in these institutions? These are the questions that connect art to its wider social and institutional context.