Who painted Gottorfer Codex, bd. 2?

Gottorfer Codex, bd. 2 was painted by Unknown in 1654.

Where can I see Gottorfer Codex, bd. 2?

Gottorfer Codex, bd. 2 is held by Statens Museum for Kunst.

Artwork

Gottorfer Codex, bd. 2

Gottorfer Codex, bd. 2 is an unspecified work on paper by Unknown. It dates from 1654 and is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst. The Gottorfer Codex, volume two, dates to around 1654 and is part of the Museum of Ethnography’s collection.

About this work

Overview

The volume presents a combination of actual dried plants and accompanying hand‑drawn illustrations, offering a snapshot of 17th‑century plant documentation.

The Gottorfer Codex, volume two, dates to around 1654 and is part of the Museum of Ethnography’s collection. It consists of a leather‑bound folio whose pages are thin, white sheets that have been used to press and preserve botanical specimens. The volume presents a combination of actual dried plants and accompanying hand‑drawn illustrations, offering a snapshot of 17th‑century plant documentation.

Subject & Meaning

The open spread displays a variety of pressed flora, each with slender stems and modestly colored blossoms. The specimens appear to have been selected for their diagnostic features, suggesting the book functioned as a reference for identification or study of regional vegetation. The accompanying sketches reinforce this instructional purpose, linking visual observation with tactile evidence.

Technique & Style

Pages are lightly tinted from age, yet retain enough translucency to reveal the delicate outlines of the pressed plants. The artist employed fine line work and subtle washes to render the flowers, emphasizing form over decorative flourish. The leather cover, now cracked and stained, bears a small circular stamp that hints at its original ownership or institutional affiliation.

History & Provenance

Compiled in the mid‑17th century, the codex reflects the scientific curiosity of its era, when naturalists assembled herbarium collections for scholarly exchange. Its survival in a museum setting indicates a transfer from private or academic hands to public stewardship, though the exact chain of custody before its acquisition by the Museum of Ethnography remains undocumented.

Context

During the 1600s, European courts and scholars commissioned codices that combined botanical illustration with actual specimens, bridging art and emerging scientific methods. The Gottorfer Codex belongs to this tradition, aligning with contemporaneous works that sought to catalogue plant diversity for medicinal, agricultural, and aesthetic purposes.