Pierre-Joseph Redouté

Princess Maria Carolina Luisa de Bourbon, Duchesse de Berry, for whom purchased from the artist in 1828 by King Charles X of France and Navarre;
Princess Teresa Cristina de Bourbon, Empress of Brazil, to whom sold by the Duchesse by 1854;
probably by descent to her daughter, Isabel, Princess Imperial of Brazil;
probably by descent to her son, Prince Pierre d'Alcantara d'Orléans-Bragance;
Mme Ulmann,
her estate sale, Paris, Ader Picard and Tajan, 7 February 1990, lot 80

Paris, Musée de la Vie romantique, Jardins romantiques français, du jardins des Lumières au parc romantique 1770 - 1840, 2011, no. 79;
Haarlem, Teylers Museum, Redoute's Roses, 2013, pp. 134 and 161, under Les Roses

‘Redoute (Pierre-Joseph), 1759-1840 cote en vente publique’, L'Estampille / L'Objet d'art, no. 235, April 1990, pp. 18-19

Hinge mounted. There is some buckling and creasing to the sheet in places as one would expect from vellum. There is a minute light brown stain to the lower left corner. Otherwise the work is in wonderful, fresh condition. Sold in a modern gilt and painted frame.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Pierre-Joseph Redouté, ‘the Raphael of flowers’, was the most celebrated botanical artist of his day. His patrons included two Empresses and two Queens, and his prodigious talents placed him at the centre of French court life, both before and after the Revolution. He was appointed drawing master to Marie Antoinette, yet despite his connections to the Royal family he survived the Terror and went on to become the court and flower painter to Empress Joséphine. It was because of her patronage that Redouté undertook Les Liliacées, which together with Les Roses, constitute the artist’s greatest works. Although Joséphine had died three years before the publication of Les Roses, it was the unequalled collection of roses on her estate at Malmaison that provided the artist with his inspiration.
The present work and lot 96 are both exquisite examples of Redouté’s achievements as a botanical painter, dating from the period when he was at the height of his artistic powers.