Rare 1845–1888 Van Houtte Botanical Print: ERANTHEMUM SANGUINOLENTUM

I've not yet found the current name of this amazing-leaved plant, but believe it to be an original specimin of what's now called Hypoestes, or Polka Dot Plant, which has by now been morphed into many cultivars with different patterns & colors on its broad leaves.

You'll find them now as ornamentals & house plants, but this is likely the original, from Madagascar or Africa. 

This is the 2nd & last of this original plate that I've collected (the first one was acquired. This superb print originates from  the Flore des Serres et des Jardins de l'Europe  ('Flowers of the Greenhouses and Gardens of Europe'), published from 1845–1888.

The drawing, coloring & composition are quite stunning.

The publication was one of the finest horticulture journals produced in Europe during the 19th century, spanning 23 volumes and over 2000 coloured plates with French, German and English text. Founded by Louis van Houtte  (1845-1883)  and edited together with Charles Antoine Lemaire (1800-1871) and Michael Joseph François Scheidweiler (1799-1861), it was a showcase for lavish hand-finished engravings and lithographs depicting and describing botanical curiosities and treasures from around the world.

The work is remarkable for the level of colour-printing craftmanship displayed by the Belgian lithographers Severeyns, Stroobant, and De Pannemaker. Louis-Constantin Stroobant (1814-1872), printed many of the illustrations for the first 10 volumes. Most of the plants depicted in Flore des Serres were available for sale in van Houtte's nursery, so that in a sense the journal doubled as a catalogue.

The editors were experienced botanical engravers and horticulturists, combining their knowledge and skills to create a showpiece of novel exotics and familiar cultivated plants. Lemaire came from being an engraver for Redoute's great works Les Liliaces and Les Roses. Van Houtte, owner of the most successful nursery in Europe at that time, sent his own plant explorers to find unknown orchids and other exotics and bring them back to Ghent for cultivation at his nursery and later publication in Flore des Serres. (wiki)

Technique: These are Stone Chromo-Lithographs, where the image for each color was drawn by hand on heavy slabs of limestone in a water-repellant wax or 'grease'. During printing, water is sponged over the drawn image, which is absorbed into the stone.

When the stone is inked with a roller, it sticks only to the water-repellant drawing, & leaves the bare wet stone clean. The print is then transferred  to the paper laid atop the stone & run by hand through a press.

The process is very involved, especially the colored prints, where multiple stones for each color had to line up perfectly with each successive imprint to register perfectly on the page. The lithos for  Flore des Serres were often then finished by hand with water-color & heightened with gum Arabic.

Stone lithography allowed for fluid drawing & subtle toning, which were much more difficult to achieve in copperplate engravings, & bypassed the need for an engraver & the tedious inking process of metal plates. Stone lithography is entirely different than present-day offset lithographs, apart from the use of water to resist ink.

I've not been able to find detailed info on the exact process used by Severeyns & De Pannemaker in their printing process, printmakers were often secretive about their innovations. But these prints are especially gorgeous & lavish for stone lithos.

Text Page: This one comes with a text page.

Condition: This one appears to be in near Excellent condition with some age-toning to the paper. The colors & detail remain sharp & beautiful. Small stain at bottom edge will likely be covered by a matting if you choose.

These prints are very old & may have minor imperfections expected with age . Please examine the photos & details carefully.

Shipping: Multiple prints combine into one USPS Flat-Rate envelope. If you'd like to combine & need more time to choose, please send a message & we'll do our best to oblige. If you're  assessed  multiple shipping for one combined package, we'll endeavor to refund any overage asap.