Red Lily (Lilium)

That the Historia naturalis albums were sold only three times in four centuries accounts for the excellent condition of the individual watercolours. The colours – like the red-orange in this sheet – are still as pristine as the day they were applied. This red lily may be one of the many botanical drawings in the albums made by the Delft floral painter Elias Verhulst, from whom De Boodt commissioned some 200 drawings.