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Gallery of Iris plates in Redouté's Les Liliaceae

  Iris Susiana
plate 18
Iris susiana 		Iris Florentina'
plate 23
Iris Florentina 		Iris Tuberosa
plate 28
Iris Tuberosa
Belamcanda
Plate 121
Belamcanda 		Iris Fimbriata
Plate 151
Iris Fimbriata 		Iris Persica
plate 189
Iris Persica 		Iris Scorpioides
Plate 211
Iris scorpioides 		   
Iris Sibirica
Plate 420
Iris Sibirica 		Iris Sibirica'
Plate 438
Iris Sibirica 		Iris Sisyrinchium
Plate 458
Iris Sisyrinchium 		Iris Triflora
Plate 481
Iris Triflora
Iris Xiphioides
Plate 212
Iris Xiphioides 		Iris Pseudacorus
Plate 235
Iris Pseudacorus 		Iris Monnieri'
plate 236
Iris Pseudacorus 		Iris Pratensis
Plate 237
iris pratensis
Iris Pumila
Plate 261
Iris Pumila 		Iris Pumila
Plate 262
Iris Pumila 		Iris Lutescens
Plate 263
Iris Lutescens 		Iris Variegata
Plate 292
Iris variegata
Iris Virescens
plate 295
Iris Virescens 		Iris Arenaria
Plate 296
Iris Arenaria 		iris graminea
Plate 299
Iris Graminea 		Iris Swertii'
Plate 306
Iris Swertii
Iris Germanica
Plate 309
Iris Germanica 		Iris Stenogyna'
Plate 310
Iris Stenogyna 		Iris Lurida
Plate 318
Iris Lurida 		Iris Amoena
Plate 336
Iris Amoena
Iris Xiphium
Plate 337
Iris Xiphium 		Iris Sambucina'
Plate 310
Iris Sambucina 		Iris Versicolor
Plate 318
Iris Versicolor 		Iris Curtopetala
Plate 340
Iris Amoena
Iris Spuria
Plate 349
Iris Spuria 		Iris ochroleuca'
Plate 350
Iris Ochroleuca 		Iris Foetidissima
Plate 318
Iris Foetidissima 		Iris Plicata
Plate 356
Iris Plicata
Iris Squalens
Plate 365
Iris Squalens 		Iris Pallida'
Plate 366
Iris Pallida 		Iris Flavescens
Plate 318
Iris Foetidissima 		Iris Cristata
Plate 376
Iris Cristata

See other Botanical Art

Joseph-Pierre Redoute is often considered one of the best botanical artists. Working over 200 years ago for the Empress Josephine he created Les Liliaceae, produced in 8 tomes between 1805-1816 he depicted 40 Irises that were being grown in the famous garden of the Chateau de Malmaison. While Napolean was spending his time conquering Europe, Josephine was assembling an incredible plant collection. At the time Thomas Jefferson expressed the notion that the greatest act a person could do for their country was to introduce a new useful plant species to cultivation. His thoughts in America echoed in the mind of Josephine and she hired Redoute to document her collections.

Les Liliaceae depicted almost 500 liliaceus plants and the large folios very done life-size. It gives us a great insight into what was available to great estate gardens in that time period. Although a magnificient work there are a couple of minor flaws. Redoute drew the line drawings but to “mass” produce a number of these books assistants were needed to hand color the drawings. Each book could have some variation from the next depending on the assistant. For example the first Iris depicted, is Susiana. It appears a darker purple than in real life. Even then we had the same type of problems with color that we have with today’s photography.

For more information on historic Irises visit the Historic Iris Preservation Society at

-- BobPries - 2014-12-02
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Topic revision: r8 - 25 Jan 2025, BrewItt
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