Iris ×germanica eller Iris ×sambucina (?) (have-iris eller hylde-iris); Iris ×germanica (have-iris)

The artist used fine brushwork and subtle gradations of color to model each petal and leaf, creating a sense of volume and surface texture. Delicate lines define vein patterns, while muted greens and yellows in the foliage contrast with the deeper purples and blues of the blooms. The absence of a background or contextual elements directs attention entirely to the plants, reflecting a method grounded in observational precision.

The work is attributed to an anonymous illustrator cataloged as 35199_person, active in the mid-17th century. It entered the Museum of Ethnography’s collection without documented prior ownership, suggesting it may have been acquired as part of a broader collection of scientific illustrations. Its origin remains unverified, though its style aligns with Northern European botanical records of the period.

Created during a time when European naturalists were systematically classifying flora, this image reflects the growing demand for accurate plant depictions in scientific manuscripts. Botanical illustration was often linked to medical and horticultural study, and such works were used as references in herbals or garden guides. The absence of a named artist underscores the collaborative, often anonymous nature of such scholarly work.

Though unsigned and unattributed to a known artist, the illustration remains a valuable record of 17th-century botanical observation. It contributes to the historical understanding of how iris species were visually documented before modern taxonomy. Its preservation in an ethnographic museum highlights its role as both scientific artifact and cultural evidence of early natural history practices.