Redoute's Roses - Softcover

Redoute, Pierre-Joseph

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1853264989 ISBN 13: 9781853264986

Publisher: Wordsworth Editions Ltd, 1998

Synopsis

First published in parts between 1817 and 1824, this collection of 167 botanical prints was intended as a scientific treatise. Produced in collaboration with the botanist Claude-Antoine Thory, it achieved early fame for the beauty of the illustrations which show the glory and infinite variety of the rose. Pierre-Joseph Redoute was known in his time as "the Raphael of flowers". He was fortunate in his patronage, enjoying the favours of Queen Marie-Antoinette and the Empress Josephine, whose gardens at Malmaison inspired Redoute, though she did not live to see her protege's great work. The stipple-engraving of the original plates was a process that Redoute learnt in England in 1786 was perfectly matched to the delicacy and accuracy of the original paintings.

About this title

Review:

Art teacher to French royalty including Queen Marie Antoinette and both of Napoleon's wives, Pierre-Joseph Redoute had come from an artistic family in the Ardennes and, prior to discovering flower portraits, specialized in religious frescoes. It was during a visit to the Netherlands that he came across the work of Van Huysum. So entranced was he by the Dutch floral paintings that, despite working for his brother painting theatre sets during a lean period in his life, he managed to find time to paint small floral water-colours which soon attracted the attention of leading botanists of the time. Inspired by Empress Josephine's garden at Malmaison Chateau in Paris, he collaborated with botanist Claude-Antoine Thory to produce "Les Roses", originally intended as a scientific work but which soon became, due to Redoute's illustrations, a collectors item which captured the public's imagination with its beauty. Printed in sections between 1817 and 1824 it soon sold out and unfortunately the actual paintings were destroyed in a fire in the Library of the Louvre. However,the prints have been reproduced time and time again to perpetuate their beauty and inspire future generations. This concise edition, with close-ups of many of the prints, is prettily presented in a boxed set which includes 12 notelets of Redoute's paintings making it the perfect gift for any rose lover.

About this edition

• Publisher: Wordsworth Editions Ltd
• Publication date: 1998
• ISBN 10: 1853264989
• ISBN 13: 9781853264986
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 342