[Botanical] Redoute's Roses

Redoute, Pierre J.

ISBN 10: 1555216838 / ISBN 13: 9781555216832

Published by Wellfleet, New Jersey, 1990

About this Item

No Flaws or Blemishes but minimal shelf handling; Still Gift Quality. Fine in a Fine Dust Jacket. Folio; 14.5 inches tall; 342 pages. Ref BotArt. The complete series of 167 rose paintings by the eighteenth-century painter of flowers is accompanied by a description of the roses' characteristics and habitat. With Pierre-Joseph Redouté was one of the most talented botanical artists ever known. He is also possibly the most popular botanical artist in history. Many people first become interested in botanical art after seeing reproductions of his paintings of roses, lilies and other flowers. He was born in 1759 in what is now Belgium and died in June 1840. Redouté was fortunate to become an artist who was patronized by the kings of France from Louis XVI to Louis-Philippe. His profile also has a unique claim to fame. His status and reputation was enhanced in no small way due to his patronage by two of the premier first ladies of European history - Marie Antoinette and Josephine Bonaparte. Fine Hardcover in a Fine Dust Jacket.

Seller Inventory # 013720

Bibliographic Details

• Title: [Botanical] Redoute's Roses
• Publisher: Wellfleet, New Jersey
• Publication Date: 1990
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1555216838
• ISBN 13: 9781555216832
• Binding: Hardcover
• Illustrator: Redoute, Pierre J.
• Edition: First Edition, First Printing; Thus.
• Condition: Fine
• Dust Jacket Condition: Fine
• Seller catalogs:
  • NATURAL HISTORY
  • ART: DESIGN & DECORATIVE ART

About this title

Synopsis

The complete series of rose paintings by the eighteenth-century painter of flowers is accompanied by a description of the roses' characteristics and habitat

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.