REDOUTÉ: Celebrating Botanical Illustration

We invite you  learn about one of the most prolific botanical artists of the French 18th and early 19th Century Pierre-Joseph Redouté. Scroll down to also view our Flower Power Guide linking you to Exhibitions and Event showcasing floral Artworks.

Rosa Gallica Maheka, From: Les Roses

Pierre-Joseph Redouté

Redouté (1759-1840) is unquestionably the best-known botanical illustrator of any era. The decorative appeal of his original engravings has led to their modern reproduction, which in turn has popularized Redouté’s work in a way unique among botanical artists. Yet no reproduction can capture the great and subtle beauty of his original engravings from Les Roses, nor can any introductory paragraph fully describe his many achievements. These magnificent engravings demonstrate the full mastery of his abilities, as the forms of the roses are set off dramatically by Redouté’s masterful and rich modulations of tone and hue.

Iris Patensis From Redouté's other acclaimed series Les Liliacees

The regal simplicity of the compositions allows the viewer to focus without distraction on the beauty and delicate complexity of the plants themselves. Perhaps better than any other engravings that the artist ever made, these three images demonstrate the flawless and pristine French style of botanical art that Redouté pioneered and brought to a pinnacle of quality. The luminosity of stipple engraving, a technique perfected by Redouté, is particularly suited to the reproduction of botanical detail. The medium involved engraving a copper plate with a dense grid of dots that could be modulated to convey delicate gradations of color.

FLOWER POWER GUIDE

Various museums in San Francisco are showcasing amazing botanical artwork as an homage to the 50th anniversary of the Summer of Love, celebrating Flower Power as major themes of Peace, Love, and Community. We also added some exhibitions abroad for those traveler's this summer!  

Flower Exhibitions and Events:

Asian Art Museum

Floral Artwork of the Buddhist tradition

San Francisco Fall Antique Show

The largest west coat annual Antique show will host antique dealer, art galleries, and designers showcasing works with a floral themes in mind. 

Garden of Shakespeare's Flowers, Golden Gate Park
Flowers and plants played an important tool for Shakespeare's plays, here you can see many of those flowers he mentioned in his writing.
Musee de la Vie Romantique
Showcasing the works of Redouté  from his Roses to the Lillies
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Look out for a future exhibition which will showcase our own collection of the Raphael of Flowers, Redouté!

For Inquiries Please Contact us at (415) 788-5115, or Visit us at 432 Jacskson St. San Francisc, Ca 94111. Aradersf.com

The Oakes Ames Orchid Watercolor Collection Exhibited at Filoli April 5th-June 12th

Charles Storer

Cypripedium Curtisii, 1898

Original Watercolor

13 7/8" x 9 7/8"

We are excited to announce our presence at Filoli's Annual Botanial Art Exhibition from April 5th-June 12th showcasing the gallery's fine original watercolor works from Oakes Ames' Orchid Collection.

Artist Reception

Thursday, April 7, 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm

For ticket and reservations: Click Here

Filoli is a "654–acre property, including the 36,000 square foot Georgian country house and spectacular 16–acre English Renaissance garden. Admission to Filoli allows visitors to explore the historic House and Garden at their leisure. The Filoli Botanical Art Exhibit has long been an essential part of our Botanical Art Program’s mission to interpret and preserve this historically significant art form. With its exquisite formal Garden, heirloom orchard and nature preserve, Filoli is a unique and fitting venue for this historical art form that has rendered plants throughout history and from around the world.  In the historic House a collection of botanical illustrations will be on display in the elegant Ballroom and select pieces will be displayed in the Trophy Room."

Orchids and Oakes Ames

Blanche Ames

Cypripedium Kimballianum, 1900

Original Watercolor

14" x 10"

The incredible Oakes Ames collection of watercolor orchids was gifted to the Massachusetts Horticultural Society by famed botanist Oakes Ames (1874 - 1950). Through his life’s work on the orchid family, he and his wife Blanche unveiled the mysteries of this strangely beautiful plant species to the rest of the world. These gorgeous and delicate watercolors were part of Ames’ personal collection of orchid paintings, featuring works by the botanist himself, his wife Blanche, Charles Storer, J.L. Macfarlane, Putzys, and several by unidentified artists.  As part of his exhaustive research on orchids, Ames made expeditions to Florida, the Caribbean, the Philippines, and Central and South America with his wife, creating scientific drawings and watercolors of each plant they cataloged. The Ames' work was published in the seven-volume Orchidicae: Illustrations and Studies of the Family Orchidicae. 

To purchase Ames' watercolors you see at Filoli  please call 415-788-5115. 
Arader Galleries, at 435 Jackson Street, San Francisco.