Claude-Marie-François Dien, “Eucalyptus Globulus”, c. 1798, after Pierre-Joseph Redouté

Claude-Marie-François Dien (1787–1865)

Note: The plate is inscribed only with the name "Dien," so there is also the possibility that the printmaker may be Charles Dien the Elder (also known as Charles Dien père) (active ca. 1790–1830) or P. Dien (late 18th century). The Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki proposes the latter.

“Eucalyptus Globulus” (Eucalyptus globulus Labill.), circa 1798

Technical Details & Condition:

Engraving with etching on watermarked laid paper with full margins as issued. This botanical illustration depicts the flowering and fruiting stem, with floral segments of the eucalyptus commonly known as the Tasmanian Blue Gum or fever tree. The specimen was collected by botanist Jacques Labillardière during the d'Entrecasteaux expedition to Recherche Bay, Tasmania, in 1792.

The print follows the design by Pierre Joseph Redouté (1759–1840) and is plate 13 in Jacques-Julien Houtou de La Billardière’s “Relation du voyage à la recherche de La Pérouse…” (Account of the voyage in search of La Pérouse), published in Paris in 1799 and London in 1800. The depicted specimen and the index of its details, numbered on the plate, are discussed on page 165 of volume 1—see: https://archive.org/details/b28772994_0001/page/164/mode/2up. The plate was issued separately in the volume titled “List of the Plates,” vol. 1.

The impression is strong and faultlessly printed. Aside from a hole in the upper right margin, the sheet is in excellent condition with no other significant issues.

Dimensions:

• Sheet: 53 x 35 cm
• Platemark: 44.9 x 30.5 cm
• Image borderline: 39.9 x 26.5 cm

Plate Lettering:

• Above the image borderline at left: “Atlas du Voyage à la recherche de la Pérouse. N^o. 13.”
• Inside the image borderline: indexing key features from “1” to “4”
• Below the image borderline: (from left to right) “P.J. Redouté del.”, “EUCALYPTUS GLOBULUS.”, “Dien Scripsit”

References:

• Auckland Art Gallery: Toi o Tāmaki: https://www.aucklandartgallery.com/explore-art-and-ideas/artwork/3216/eucalyptus-globulus
• Wellcome Collection: https://wellcomecollection.org/works/zeavx5pb
• Wellcome Collection (Charles Dien): https://wellcomecollection.org/concepts/raaj5vy6https://wellcomecollection.org/concepts/raaj5vy6
• La Billardière’s publication: https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_F3RBAAAAcAAJ/page/n171/mode/2up
• Gordon Morrison [et al.], “Capturing Flora: 300 years of Australian Botanical Art”, (Exhibition Catalogue), 2012, Art Gallery of Ballarat, pp. 52–55

Price & Shipping:

AU$288 (approximately US$202.55 / €174.29 / £151), including worldwide express shipping. Please note that import duties and taxes are the buyer’s responsibility.

If you’re interested in this superb impression of a large and historically significant engraving—the first published example of this species of eucalypt—please contact me at oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com. I am happy to provide a secure PayPal invoice for a seamless purchase.

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.