Redoute's Roses

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.