Pomme Coeur de Pigeon
11 by 16 inches
PPL338 $115
These beautiful fruit prints by Pierre-Antoine Poiteau (1766-1854) represent some of the greatest fruit prints ever produced, the very pinnacle of the art. From a humble start as a gardener, Poiteau became head of the Botanical School of Paris. An adventurous young man, he traveled extensively, visiting Santa Domingo, Haiti and New Guinea, supervising botanical gardens and bringing back to France seeds and new species.
He was the head of some of the great botanical gardens of France, including Versailles and Fontainebleau. Poiteau collaborated with many of the great botanists and illustrators of the day, including Turpin and was probably the most talented pupil of Redoute. From a whole life immersed in the practice and study of botany, he distilled a unique perspective and scientific accuracy, simultaneously conveying the exquisite beauty of the subject.
His masterpiece is definitely Pomologie Francaise, published in 1846 by Langlois, the publisher of Redoute’s greatest works, each print is a fine stipple engraving with hand finishing, measuring about 11 inches wide by 16 inches long. The paper is creamy in tone, with a few having some foxing, as we have been more forgiving of condition than usual due to the extreme scarcity of these prints. Each print is accompanied by the original descriptive text except when noted and a copy of the original title page.
