Dragon Lily

By Pierre-Joseph Redouté

Indeed, this outstanding botanical engraving highlights Pierre-Joseph Redouté’s extraordinary talent for stipple engraving and color printing. Entitled Dracaena Terminalis, better known as the Dragon Lily or Ti plant, the artwork highlights the stark contrast between the purplish velvet leaves and the budding stem of the flower.

While most botanical drawings of that era featured flat illustrations, Redouté employs the stipple technique to create a sense of depth and luminescence in the shape of the leaves. Every print from Les Liliacées is considered a masterpiece of French botanical art in the 19th century, blending precision and aesthetics in accordance with the wishes of his royal clients.