This illustration is inspired by the polytene chromosomes of fruit flies — enlarged, banded chromosomes found in the salivary glands of fly larvae, formed through repeated DNA replication without cell division.

For many geneticists, polytene chromosomes are a teaching image. For me, they are personal.

As an undergraduate, I first encountered genetic linkage through fruit fly experiments. Long before DNA’s structure was known, scientists used recombination frequencies to map genes along chromosomes. They could not see DNA — yet they saw order in probability. That was when I first felt the beauty of genetics.

Years later, I spent long days in a small fly room, sorting and counting. At the time, it felt overwhelming. Looking back, those hours under the microscope now feel strangely peaceful.

Within the four tiny chromosomes of a fruit fly lies some of humanity’s earliest understanding of genetic theory.

For me, they also hold a part of my own story.

Artwork size (unframed): 21 × 29.7 cm (A4). Created on cold-pressed watercolor paper with medium grain and high cotton content (50–90%).

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