Title: Lilium speciosum (Elegant Lily) – Hand-Colored Botanical Engraving by Desmares, circa 1825
Description: This exquisite hand-colored copperplate engraving features Lilium speciosum, known in French as Lis élégant or Elegant Lily. The flower is depicted with gracefully recurved pink petals, speckled in deep red and edged in soft white, along with vivid green leaves and prominent stamens. The engraving is signed Desmares Sc., indicating it was engraved by Louis Desmares, one of the principal botanical engravers for French natural history publications in the early 19th century.
This plate was published around 1825 by Panckoucke in Paris as part of the important botanical work *Le Jardin des Plantes: Histoire Naturelle des Plantes*. These works were produced under the auspices of the Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle and are celebrated for their scientific precision and refined artistry.
A fine representation of one of the most beloved ornamental flowers, this plate is ideal for collectors of antique botanical art, floral studies, and French Enlightenment-era illustration.
Keywords: antique botanical print, Lilium speciosum, Elegant Lily, Lis élégant, Desmares engraver, hand-colored floral engraving, 19th-century lily print, Jardin des Plantes, Panckoucke Paris, French natural history, lily botanical art, flower illustration
Condition Summary: Good condition. Strong plate impression and richly preserved hand-coloring. Minor toning and faint foxing in the margin, not affecting the image. The paper is stable, and well-suited for framing or archival purposes.
Framing Tips: Frame with a soft ivory or pale blush mat to echo the flower’s pink tones. A gold-leaf, rosewood, or brushed silver frame adds elegance and enhances the botanical detail. Use UV-protective glass and consider float mounting to showcase the full sheet and engraved title.
Bartele Gallery. Original antique maps, sea charts, engravings and works on paper. This is a plain text rendering of a page that is otherwise built in the browser. The catalogue index is at https://www.bartele.net/catalogue and machine readable notes are at https://www.bartele.net/llms.txt.