Spaendonck, Gerard Van | "magnificent drawings, brilliantly interpreted in stipple"

Spaendonck, Gerard Van

Fleurs dessinées d'après nature... Paris: circa 1800

Album of proof plates (515 x 360 mm). Without printed title or text leaves, 24 stipple-engraved plates by P.P. le Grand after G.Van Spaendonck (unless otherwise noted below), most with manuscript captions accomplished in pencil in an early hand, tissue guards; occasional instances of minor fingersoiling, light spotting to first three plates, short closed tear to lower margin of Plate 4, small repair to upper right corner of Plate 9, Plate 24 laid-down on paper. Contemporary marbled paper-covered boards, manuscript paper label to spine, light blue endpapers; overall rubbed with some loss, joints splitting, spotting to endpapers. 

Plates include:

1. "Rose a cent tetulles | Rosa Centifolia. L", sheet size 480 x 320 mm

2. "Chene commun | Quercus robur. L.", sheet size 482 x 320 mm

3. "Mauve alcee | Malva alcea. L.", sheet size 480 x 320 mm

4. "Tulipe des jardins | Tulipa gesneriana. L", sheet size 475 x 315 mm

5. "Digitale pourpree | Digitalis purpurea. L", sheet size 485 x 320 mm

6. "Rosa de Provens | Rosa galhca. L.", by J.Godetroy after Van Spaendonck, sheet size 483 x 323 mm

7. "Campanula gantelee | Campanula trachaehum. L.", sheet size 485 x 320 mm

8. "Neflier Cultive | Mespilus germanica. L.", sheet size 487 x 320 mm

9. "Reme marguerite | Aster chinensis. L.", sheet size 495 x 345 mm

10. "Iris bleu-clair | Iris pallida", sheet size 505 x 345 mm

11. "Mais, Ble de Turquie | Zea Mays. L.", sheet size 500 x 345 mm

12. "Uva nigra & Uva alba. Raisin noir & Raisin blanc | du Chasselas. | Dessine d'apres Nature, par P.F. Le Grand, Et Grave par la même. | Depose a la Bibliotheque Nationale./ A Pans, chez Le Grand Rue St. Jacques, No. 16.", sheet size 502 x 350 mm (not captioned in pencil) 

13. "Souci des Jardins | Calendula officinalis. L.", sheet size 505 x 344 mm

14. "Rose-tremiere | Alcea Rosea. L", sheet size 502 x 345 mm

15. "Pavor cultivé | Papaver somniferum. L.", sheet size 507 x 350 mm

16. [Untitled still-life of fruit on a table, with imprint:], "De Heem Pinx | P.F. Le Grand Sculp. | Depose a la Bibliotheque Nationale | chez l'Auteur Rue des Noyers No. 13.", sheet size 340 x 505 mm (not captioned in pencil) 

17. "Seringat odorant | Philadelphus coronanus. L", sheet size 495 x 335 mm

18. "Anemone double | Anemone coronana. L", sheet size 496 x 330 mm

19. "Jacinthe double | Hyacinthus orientalis. L.", sheet size 495 x 330 mm

20. "Rose a cent feuilles | Rosa centifolia. L", sheet size 495 x 330 mm

21. "Sceau de Salomon | Couvallaria multiflora. L.", with no imprint: neither engraver nor artist identified, sheet size 495 x 335 mm

22. "Mufle de vcau | Antirrhinum majus. L", with no imprint: neither artist nor engraver identified, sheet size 502 x 335 mm

23. "Lavatere a grandes fleurs | Lavatcra trimestns. L.", with no imprint: neither artist nor engraver identified, sheet size 508 x 308 mm

24. "Lilas | Synnga Vulgaris. L", with no imprint: neither artist nor engraver identified, sheet size 502 x 334 mm

Proof copy — the Wilfrid Blunt-Von Hoffmann copy.

Wilfrid Blunt's copy of a suite of proof plates from Fleurs dessinées d'après nature—one of the rarest of the great flower books. The work is described by Blunt as containing "magnificent drawings, brilliantly interpreted in stipple." Blunt continues: "Copies are occasionally found either hand-coloured or printed in colour and retouched with water-colour." Blunt argues that the watercolor in fact dulls the delicacy, and that in their present black-and-white state, "these prints may well claim to be the finest flower-engravings ever made" (Great Flower Books).

The Dutch-born Gerard (or Gerrit) van Spaendonck studied with Willem Jacob Herreyns in Antwerp before moving to Paris in 1769. In 1774, van Spaendonck was appointed miniature painter in the court of Louis XVI, and in 1780 he was named professor of floral painting at the Jardin des Plantes. Following this appointment, he was elected as a member of the Académie des beaux-arts. During his career, van Spaendonck's pupils included Pierre-Joseph Redouté and Henriette Vincent.

REFERENCE:

Blunt & Steam 197-200; Great Flower Books 21 & 77: Nissen, BBI 1879; Pritzel 8809; Staflau & Cowan LL2 12.523

PROVENANCE:

Wilfrid Blunt (ownership inscription) — Ladislaus von Hoffman ("An Important Botanical Library," Christie's New York, 4 June 1997, lot 142)