A tulip, a butterfly of the species Arctia caja (garden tiger moth), and a beetle (possibly a longhorn)

Barbara Regina Dietzsch (1706–1783) was a virtuosic painter of botanical subjects who lived and worked in eighteenth-century Nuremberg. Barbara Regina and her six siblings under the guidance of their father, Johann Israel Dietzsch (1681-1754), all became artists, many specializing natural history watercolors. Barbara Regina played a role in passing on the family legacy, teaching her sister Margaretha Barbara (1726–1795). The Dietzsch family were active and significant participants in the booming industry of scientific image production that thrived in eighteenth-century Nuremberg in dialogue with collections of naturalia and the city’s University. Barbara Regina stands out within the family, hailed by her contemporaries, including noted Nuremburg physician, and collector, Jacob Christoph Trew (1695–1764), as one of the era’s most noteworthy watercolorists.　　

This drawing demonstrates the technical precision and animated composition that typify Barbara Regina’s work. A tulip stands at center. A beetle, possibly a longhorn, perches in the flowers’ petals, while a garden tiger moth (Arctia caja) alights on its leaves. Gum arabic glazing along with deft handling of gouache applied in thin layers and feathery brushstrokes communicate the form, coloration, and waxy texture of the tulip’s leaves and petals. The artful arrangement of the flower’s twisted stem, splayed petals, and curled leaves imbues the sheet with a sense of movement. The insect specimens enhance this impression of liveliness, and are subtly rendered with enough specificy, in the case of the moth at bottom right, to identify the species. These brightly colored motifs gleam against the rich black ground that was applied by the artist over the extent of the sheet before working up the rest of the drawing. A distinctive feature of botanical imagery by Barbara Regina Dietzsch and her followers, the black background is a critical aspect of the drawing’s facture, enabling Dietzsch to achieve the depth of color and dramatic lighting effects that characterize her work. Bordered on three sides in what appears to be gold, and executed on vellum, the drawing would have likely once belonged to an album designed to at once precisely describe and aesthetically delight.　

-Olivia Dill, 2024