About
Pierre-Joseph Redouté, born in Saint-Hubert (then Austrian Netherlands) and died in Paris, was a Belgian artist and botanist. Nicknamed 'the Raphael of flowers', he is regarded as the greatest botanical illustrator of all time. Settling in Paris in 1782, he studied under Charles Louis L'Héritier de Brutelle and Gérard van Spaendonck. Official painter to Queen Marie-Antoinette and later to Empress Joséphine, he contributed to the Collection des Vélins at the Muséum national d'histoire naturelle. He produced over 2,100 published plates depicting more than 1,800 species, always from live plants. His major work, Les Roses (1817–1824), is famous for its color engravings. Knight of the Legion of Honor in 1825, he died in debt in 1840.
* 1759-07-10 — † 1840-06-19
Major works
- Les Liliacées (1802-1816)illustrated book
- Jardin de la Malmaison (1805)illustrated book
- Les Roses (1817-1824)illustrated book
- Choix des Plus Belles Fleurs et des Plus Beaux Fruits (1827-1833)illustrated book
Key milestones
- 1788Appointed Designer and Painter to the Queen's Cabinet by Marie-Antoinette.
- 1793Appointed official artist for the Collection des Vélins at the Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle.
- 1825Knighted in the Legion of Honor.
Themes
botanyscientific illustrationflowersart and naturecolor engraving
Sources: britannica.com · cpbr.gov.au