Pierre Joseph Buchoz (Cherry Blossom and Songbird) Collection Précieuse et Enluminée des fleurs... Paris, 1776-79. $895.00

Plate XXVI (Cherry Blossom and Songbird)

Born in Metz, France, Pierre Joseph Buchoz (1731-1807) was a physician and lawyer by training, as well as a passionate naturalist. He was physician to many prominent individuals, including the King of Poland, the brother of the King of France and the Duke of Artois. He was an enthusiastic and prolific publisher of many sets of beautifully illustrated botanical texts. His monumental work titled, Histoire Universelle du Règne Végétal (1774-1780) contained upwards of 1,000 botanical engravings. Buchoz's output was prolific due in part, to his habit of appropriating designs from his contemporaries, as well as adapting his own text and materials to re-use among his own works.

Early on, Buchoz recognized the significance of Chinese drawing techniques. This lovely engraving was included in the first European florilegium to describe flowers grown in Chinese gardens, titled, Collection Précieuse et Enluminée des fleurs les plus Belles et les plus Curieuses, qui se cultivent tant dans les jardins de la Chine que dans ceux de l'Europe [Precious and Illuminated Collection of the Most Beautiful and the Most Peculiar Flowers Cultivated in the Gardens of China and in Those of Europe]. The composition and style of these engravings was quite innovative, incorporating many stylistic elements of Chinese art including background landscapes, butterflies, insects and birds, along with Chinese character captions. Buchoz captured the interest of the day with his “Chinoiserie” style. Experts admire these engravings from their technique of "suggesting, with the burin, the tone of Chinese watercolor. Only when we look carefully at these pictures do we realize that they are engraved and not drawn with the brush.

       Archivally framed measuring 21.5 x 17 ¼ inches framed size,12.5 x 9 inches plate mark. Copperplate engraving on watermarked laid paper, with full original hand color. Excellent original condition.