The harmonious composition of Berlese Pl. 168, Camellia Punicaeflora captures the flower’s abundant petals and elegantly serrated leaves.
Rendered through the printmaking technique of stipple-engraving, the image is composed of a series of small engraved dots that lend a soft quality to the appearance of the flower. Hand-applied color enhances the delicately engraved flower, adding depth and dimension to it. Breathe life into any space with this original 19th-century engraving. From the gardens of France to your walls, these botanicals will brighten and elevate any space.
About Iconographie du Genre Camellia
Produced from 1839—1843 by Abbe Lorenzo Berlèse, Iconographie du Genre Camellia is a monograph on the camellia genus containing 300 hand-colored stipple engravings of the flowers. Produced in response to the introduction of an increased number of camellia hybrids and species to Europe, Berlèse’s Iconographie proved significant in identifying and differentiating the camellia varietals. The wealthy Italian Abbot Berlèse spent his adult years in France where he studied, cultivated, and wrote about camellias. Beautiful in groupings of four, six, or eight images, the camellias vary in color from ruby red to pink, white, and variegated.
About Abbé Laurent Berlèse
Abbé Laurent Berlèse was the greatest 19th-century scholar on the subject of camellias, which reached peak popularity in the mid-19th century as new variants were cultivated. Born in northern Italy, Berlèse pursued his vocation as a chaplain and moved to Paris where he cultivated camellias. As his gardens grew with new and hybrid camellias, Berlèse recognized the need to document and record the camellia varietals. In response to this need for a camellia index, Berlèse published Iconographie du genre Camellia (1839) containing 300 hand-colored stipple engravings of the flower varietals.
For more information about Berlese Pl. 168, Camellia Punicaeflora, email us at [email protected] or check out our articles The Historical Significance of Botanical Illustration and What is an Engraving? A Guide to Intaglio Printmaking Techniques.
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