Pierre Joseph Redouté, “Wallflower”, 1805

Pierre Joseph Redouté (1759-1840)

“Wallflower” (aka “Cheiranthus Cheiri / Géroflee Violier” [as titled in the plate])—a plant that I understand is often found growing in cracks in stone walls, 1805, engraving in colour (described in the title page as “IMPRIMÉES EN COULEURS” [printed in colour] see https://archive.org/details/mobot31753000809605/mode/1up), published in 1805 in Paris by Delachaussée as plate 8 to “La botanique de J.J. Rousseau: ornée de soixante-cinq planches, imprimées en couleurs d'après les peintures de P.J. Redouté” (The Botany of J.J. Rousseau: decorated with sixty-five plates, printed in colour after the paintings of P.J. Redouté), printed by Vincent Marie Langlois (aka Langlois frères; Langlois Jeune) (1756–still active c.1805). Archive.org offers and online view of this publication: https://archive.org/details/mobot31753000809605/page/7/mode/2up.

Stipple engraving printed in colour (or more likely hand-coloured, based on close examination of the print, despite the description as “printed in colour” on the title sheet) on cream wove paper.

Size: (sheet) 34.7 x 25.5cm.

Lettered in plate: (next to the relevant details of the flower) “a” ([faint] petal); “b” (flower stripped of its petals); “c” (flower stripped of the calyx and corolla); “d” (stamen); “e” (pistil); “f” (silique); (left) “CHEIRANTHUS CHEIRI./ par P. J. Redoute,”; (centre) “de L’Imprimerie de Langlois.”; (right) “Géroflee Violier.”

Condition: a strong and well-printed impression. Beyond small tears in the edges, the sheet is in a very good condition for its age with no significant stains.

I am selling this rare colour engraving, arguably, by the “greatest botanical illustrator of all time” who even earned the nickname, ”the Raphael of flowers“ (see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierre-Joseph_Redout%C3%A9), for AU$267 (currently US$174.13/ EUR164.62/ GBP136.94 at the time of posting this listing) including Express Mail (EMS) postage and handling to anywhere in the world, but not (of course) any import duties/taxes imposed by some countries. Note that payment is in Australian dollars (AU$267) as this is my currency.

If you are interested in purchasing this technically demanding and impressive colour engraving of great beauty, please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.