Tall Bearded Iris

By Pierre-Joseph Redouté

With its timeless grace, this beautiful botanical illustration depicts the Tall Bearded Iris (Iris Swertii), which was first illustrated by Pierre-Joseph Redouté, a master of botanical illustration art. Known for his artistic skills and accurate drawings of the flora, Redouté was nicknamed the "Raphael of Flowers."

As this print shows, the iris has delicate petals that have veins in pale lavender color, and typical for the breed, soft yellow "beard." This beautiful illustration represents the glory of French botany of the 19th century.