Description
Description of Pierre Redoute's Choix des Plus Belles Fleurs
These magnificent prints are from the beautiful work entitled Choix des Plus Belles Fleurs by Pierre Joseph Redoute published in 1827. The prints offered here are from the first edition of Choix des Plus Belles Fleurs. This is significant to note because the color is far more elegant and superior to later editions. As the plates used to make the prints became more worn during the later editions, a certain amount of beauty afforded by the use of the stippled-engraving technique was lost. Fortunately, this is not the case with the first edition prints offered here. Redoute's name is synonymous with beauty and in the world of botanical art, he is known as the best. Redoute was born in 1759 in northern France. He began his career by painting the cathedrals of Northern Europe, but upon seeing some flower paintings by Van Huysum in the Netherlands, he became inspired to paint flowers. Redoute soon became renowned for his work and tutored such people as Queen Marie-Antoinette, Empress Josephine, Marie-Louise, and Queen Marie-Amelie. As the official artist to Empress Josephine, Napoleon's wife, this very talented artist had the patronage needed to produce such fine work. Redoute's fame is due in large part to his diligent effort to perfect the use of stipple engraving. This labor intensive, therefore very expensive, technique creates subtle yet stunning variations of color, superior to engraving alone. A leading scholar of botanical prints, Gordon Dunthorne, proclaims the work as "portrayed so perfectly in the delicacy of the stippled modeling that an impression of a third dimension is created." In Choix des Plus Belles Fleurs, Redoute intended to create a collection of his finest pieces. His personal favorites have, over time, become the favorites of many. There are on fine chain-linked, water marked paper that measures ~ 9 1/2" by 13".