Most of us have seen Raphael’s “Sistine Madonna” putti and Pierre-Joseph Redouté’s roses, but maybe not in their original context. They’ve been commercialized—printed on bags, postcards, textiles and the like, so much that some of us may not know the works’ original intent or even who created them. 
Raphael’s art needs no introduction, but Redouté’s might. He drew, painted, engraved, and printed roses and all manner of flora, for science and for the sheer beauty of it. 
Pierre-Joseph Redouté pioneered botanical prints. “A Bouquet of Flowers With Insects,” date unknown, by Pierre-Joseph Redouté. Watercolor with gold on vellum; 9 7/8 inches by 6 3/4 inches. Ailsa Mellon Bruce Fund. The National Gallery of Art, Washington. (Public Domain)
Pierre-Joseph Redouté (1759–1840) excelled in the three types of art depicting flora: botanical illustrations, botanical art, and flower paintings. Each type has a distinctive purpose. Botanical art is made with the same accuracy as botanical illustrations but for aesthetics alone. Flower paintings verge on the fantastical with less botanical accuracy. …