Legousia speculum-veneris (ægte venusspejl); Hesperis tristis (natviol)
1654
unspecified
From the collection of Statens Museum for Kunst
This painting shows two tall plants with delicate flowers and green leaves. One plant has clusters of small purple blooms, while the other has star-shaped flowers in light brown and green. The stems are thin and slightly curved, with roots visible at the bottom. The background is plain, letting the plants stand out clearly. The artist focused on tiny details, like the texture of each leaf and petal. This kind of careful work was often used to study nature in older botanical drawings. Try looking up watercolor to see how artists use this medium to create such precise, soft images.
