Summer Snowflake

By Pierre-Joseph Redouté

This stunning stipple engraving with hand coloring is a perfect representation of botanizing skill of the early 19th century as it features the beautiful Summer Snowflake (Leucojum Aestivum). Being the "Raphael of Flowers," Pierre-Joseph Redouté strikes a perfect balance between scientific accuracy and artistic finesse. In particular, this composition highlights the plant not only through its full growth but also its seed pod and root bulb anatomy at the bottom.

The printing technique of stipple engraving developed by Redouté makes it possible to obtain fine painterly effects in the image without the use of sharp contours. This print is one of the best examples of French golden age of botanical illustrations, a vivid composition and perfect condition make it an ideal acquisition for connoisseurs of prints.