Beschreibung:

VENTENAT, Etienne-Pierre. Jardin de la Malmaison. Paris: Imprimerie de Crapelet, et se trouve chez l'Auteur, 1803 [-1805]. 2 volumes in 1, 2° (530 x 350mm.). Half-title. 120 FINE STIPPLE-ENGRAVED PLATES AFTER PIERRE JOSEPH REDOUTÉ PRINTED IN COLOURS AND FINISHED BY HAND, by J.B.Dien, P.F.Legrand, L.J.Allais and others. (Some upper plate numerals shaved by the binder, without the half title and title to vol.II as usual when bound as a single volume, some slight surface soiling to about a dozen plates). Contemporary English gold-tooled green straight-grained morocco, gilt armorial crest (Baron Holland) added at head of spine, g.e. (upper joint slightly split at top, the lower weak, corners somewhat worn). Provenance : Henry Richard Vassall Fox, 3rd Baron Holland (Holland House armorial bookplate). FIRST EDITION OF REDOUTÉ'S MASTERPIECE. 'This series... plus... Les Liliacées , constitute the highest peak of Redouté's artistic and botanical achievement; both books are among the most important monuments of botanical illustration ever to be published... This magnificent publication... amply justifies [Redouté's] fame as one of the most eminent botanical illustrators of all time.' (Stafleu in Hunt Redoutéana p.21). The provenance is particularly apt: Baron Holland and his wife Elizabeth, Lady Holland were both admirers of Napoleon and indeed met him at Malmaison in 1802. This work would have formed an evocative reminder of that meeting. Nissen 2049; Great Flower Books p.79; Dunthorne 255.