Pierre Joseph Redoute Liliacees

In 1814 and 1816 Pierre Joseph Redoute prepared the water color drawings known as the Les Liliaceee’s .
The Empress Josephine paid 84,000 francs for the watercolors.
In a second account , it is said the amount was 25,000 francs.

Whatever the cost was, the watercolor paintings are breathtaking.

In 1985 the auction house of Sotheby’s printed the paintings in a folio and offered it for sale to prospective bidders .
I was given one of the Sotheby’s folios - ( the printed book , not a copy of the originals )

I have used the book to study Redoute’s breathtaking watercolor style .

I bring this subject up because there is going to be an exhibit of some botanical art work that will include Redoute at Eureka Books in Northern California - See www.gardenrant.com for details.

Below are just three images from the book. One of the images is a centerfold
Unfortunately my scanner is not working so these are photographs taken of the individual pages.

Plate number 370 - Amaryllis de Josephine




Plate number 131 - Fritllaria imperiale



another plate