REDOUTÉ, Pierre-Joseph (1759-1840) and Claude Antoine THORY (1759-1827)

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£ 63 000
Auction dateClassic
14.12.2022 10:30UTC +01:00
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CHRISTIE'S
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ID 870775
Lot 175 | REDOUTÉ, Pierre-Joseph (1759-1840) and Claude Antoine THORY (1759-1827)
REDOUTÉ, Pierre-Joseph (1759-1840) and Claude Antoine THORY (1759-1827)

Les Roses. Paris: Firmin Didot, 1817-1824.

First edition, the rare large paper issue of Redoute's botanical masterpiece. 'The technical execution of its production was ... near perfect’ (Hunt Redoutéana p.25). Les Roses, with its combination of Redouté's plates and Thory's text, remains not only a great artistic achievement, but also a valuable scientific record. Lawalrée describes the text as being 'of outstanding importance to both botanists and horticulturalists'. Its author, Thory, was an ardent botanist with his own collection of roses, who came to live at an estate neighbouring Redouté's soon after 1814. Their celebration of roses describes many forerunners of today's flowers, and includes details of a number of species and cultivars that have since disappeared. The roses used as specimens for the work were taken from the collections of Thory, the Malmaison gardens, and from other collections around Paris. As Ray noted, Redoute's ‘stipple engravings printed in color command the admiration of both natural historians and artists. Working directly from the flowers, Redoute arranged his compositions to show all their significant aspects without the sacrifice of aesthetic value.’ Many of the flowers were novelties in Redouté's day, and a number were dedicated to his friends and acquaintances, such as L'Héritier de Brutelle and Ventenat. According to a leaflet issued after the 23rd part in the copy at the Herbarium of the New York Botanical Garden one hundred large paper copies were projected but it is probable that far fewer were completed. Cleveland Collection 807; Dunthorne 232; Great Flower Books (1990) p.128; Hunt Redouteana 19; Nissen BBI 1599; Pritzel 7455; Ray French 89; Stafleu and Cowan 8748.



3 volumes, folio (527 x 350mm). Engraved portrait of Redouté by C.S. Pradier after Gerard, floral wreath and 169 stipple-engraved plates printed in colours and finished by hand, by Langlois, Chapuy and others after Redouté, printed by Rémond (small stain to half-title in vol. I just extending into portrait and title, pl. 50 to end in vol. I lightly stained, some scattered spotting throughout, more heavily affecting frontispiece in vol. I, pl. 90 in vol. II and text leaves at ends of vols II and III). Contemporary diced russia, covers with narrow borders composed of triple gilt and triple blind fillets with small rosettes at corners, small rose devices as cornerpieces, gilt edges (rebacked to style, extremities rubbed). Provenance: Heneage Finch, 5th earl of Aylesford (1786-1859, using his father’s etched bookplate pasted on verso of half-title of vol. I and to versos of titles in vols II-III; the 4th earl [1751-1812] was an accomplished etcher who admired Piranesi and Rembrandt, and designed and etched bookplates for his own use, these being examples of his third design out of four, with books, an ink-well and pens at the base of a classical fluted column) – evidence of bookplates removed.





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