Lilies

the work

The Liliacées (The Lilies)

The Lilies is an antique collection of over 400 stunning high-resolution illustrations of lilies by one of the most accomplished and celebrated botanical artists of all time, Pierre-Joseph Redouté (1759-1840) , a Flemish artist and botanist known for his exquisite watercolors of lilies, roses, and other native plant species.

Pierre-Joseph Redouté Biography

• Born on July 10, 1759 in Saint-Hubert, Belgium.
• He worked as a painter and botanist.
• He served as botanical painter to the French royal family , including Marie Antoinette and Empress Josephine .
• He died in Paris on June 19, 1840 (aged 80).

Representative works

• The Roses (1817–1824)
• The Lilies (1802–1816)
• Choix des plus belles fleurs (1827-1833)
• History of Succulents (1799)

Redouté's style and achievements

Redouté's work is characterized by his botanical illustrations, which accurately and precisely depict the plant's form and color. In order to contribute to botanical research, he observed the plant in detail and faithfully reproduced it. At the same time, his botanical illustrations are also highly accomplished works of art, expressing the beauty of the plant to the fullest.

"Lilies" was produced using Redouté's specialty, multicolor copperplate printmaking, and depicts the diverse forms and delicate beauty of lilies in vivid colors. These plates are highly regarded not only for their value as botanical reference material, but also for their high artistic quality, even today.

Redouté was such an outstanding figure in the field of botanical illustration that he was called the "Raphael of Flowers." His works contributed greatly to the popularization and development of botany, and even today they continue to fascinate many people with their beauty and precision.