Honesty (Lunaria annua)

Anselmus Boëtius de Boodt, 1596 - 1610

The honesty plant is immediately recognizable by its distinctive flat, and sometimes translucent, seed pods. In this drawing, the plant also bears flowers, something that never occurs simultaneously in reality. De Boodt wanted to give a generic image of the plant in all of its flowering stages, rather than depict a specific specimen from nature. Thus, the drawing was useful in identifying the species.

  • Artwork typedrawing
  • Object numberRP-T-BR-2017-1-10-99
  • Dimensionsheight 245 mm x width 175 mm
  • Physical characteristicspenseel in waterverf en dekverf over zwart krijt, gehoogd met witte dekverf, handschrift in pen in bruin