The Redouté Brothers. Masters of scientific illustration in Paris. 2024. (Mus. Nat. d'Hist.Nat., Archives, vol. 33). 176 figs. 882 p. gr8vo. - In English.

This work provides the first comprehensive biography of the three
Redoute brothers, Antoine-Ferdinand, Pierre-Joseph and Henri-Joseph.
Originating from humble origins in the Ardennes, they all took root in
Paris where Antoine-Ferdinand became a decorative painter. By contrast
Pierre-Joseph and Henri-Joseph embarked as botanical illustrators on a
scientific and aesthetic career including numerous contributions to the
prestigious royal paintings on vellum. The central figure of this work is
Pierre-Joseph, whose accurate illustrations document science during the
late phase of the Enlightenment, throughout the turbulences of the French
Revolution, the Napoleonic era and into the Restoration. Thus, Pierre-
Joseph provided works for Empress Josephine and Queen Maria Amalia.
An indefatigable worker, he produced an enormous number of botanical
illustrations, many of a very high calibre. A large number of which were
reproduced as engravings for a long list of publications which multiplied
by many times the effect of his work. His association with the new Museum
d'Histoire naturelle, but also notably with C.-L. LHeritier and the Geneva
botanist A. P. de Candolle, ensured successive commissions. Henri-
Joseph joined the scientific team that accompanied Napoleon's Egyptian
campaign, documenting plants, animals and artifacts. Although his output
was more geared towards paintings of animals, he was frequently asked
to contribute botanical works for Pierre-Joseph. in essence the focus of
this book is not on the written record but on the pictorial. Furthermore it
offers a panorama of the travellers, collectors, scientists, gardeners and
illustrators in one of the great centres of the time - Paris.