Skip to main content
Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 7

Floral Collection: Coral Drops, Prairie Gentian, Monkey Orchid, Bellflower, 1875

About the Item

"Elegant Flora: A Showcase of Bessera, Lisianthus, Masdevallia, and Ceratostema" This title emphasizes the elegance and distinctive characteristics of each species, enhancing the botanical and aesthetic appeal of the collection. Here's a description of each of the plants depicted in the botanical prints: 1. Bessera Miniate (Coral Drops): - Origin: Native to Mexico. - Appearance: Coral Drops have delicate, drooping, bell-shaped flowers that are predominantly orange or coral-red. They typically grow on slender, arching stems with linear leaves. - Habitat: Grows well in well-drained soils in full sun, often used in gardens for their vibrant color and graceful appearance. 2. Lisianthus Princeps (Prairie Gentian): - Origin: Native to warm regions of the Americas, especially the Caribbean. - Appearance: Known for its large, bell-shaped flowers which are often blue, pink, or white. Lisianthus flowers are prized for their long-lasting qualities and are popular in floral arrangements. - Habitat: Prefers full sun and moist, well-drained soils. They are often grown as annuals in temperate climates. 3. Masdevallia Elephanticeps (Monkey Orchid): - Origin: Found in Central and South America, particularly in cloud forests. - Appearance: This orchid is notable for its striking and unusual floral structure which resembles a monkey’s face. The flowers are typically yellow and red with a complex arrangement of sepals and petals. - Habitat: Thrives in cool, moist environments, often at higher elevations. They require high humidity and indirect light, making them more common in greenhouse collections than home gardens. 4. Ceratostema Grandiflorum (Andean Bellflower): - Origin: Native to the Andes, particularly Peru. - Appearance: Features tubular flowers that are typically red or orange with a bell shape, hanging from bushy shrubs. The leaves are small and glossy, adding to the plant’s ornamental value. - Habitat: Adapted to cool, mountainous regions and prefers well-drained soils and partial shade. They can be challenging to grow in non-native environments without careful attention to climate mimicry. These botanical illustrations not only capture the unique beauty of each species but also serve as a scientific record, showcasing the diversity and complexity of flowering plants across various ecosystems. About the maker: Louis van Houtte was a prominent Belgian horticulturist and botanist renowned for his significant contributions to botanical illustration during the 19th century. Born in 1810, van Houtte is best known for his work as the proprietor of one of the largest and most successful horticultural establishments in Europe, located in Ghent, Belgium. His nursery specialized in exotic plants, and he employed numerous skilled gardeners and botanists. Van Houtte's most famous legacy is perhaps the "Flore des Serres et des Jardins de l'Europe," a monumental work published between 1845 and 1883. This publication was an extensive series of horticultural and botanical books that illustrated thousands of plant species, many of which were new to science and European gardens at the time. The work combined scientific accuracy with artistic beauty, showcasing the talents of several gifted artists and lithographers. The illustrations in "Flore des Serres" were primarily lithographs, a method that allowed for detailed and vibrant color reproductions, which were essential for the study and popularization of plant species. These prints not only served as a catalog of exotic plants available for purchase from his nursery but also as an educational tool and a source of inspiration for gardeners and botanists across Europe. Van Houtte's contributions to botanical art and horticulture were driven by a passion for plants and an entrepreneurial spirit that recognized the growing public interest in botany. His work helped disseminate botanical knowledge and influenced European garden design in the Victorian era. The creator of these prints, often a collaboration between botanists and skilled artists, aimed to capture the intricate details of each plant for purposes of study and record-keeping. The style of these prints suggests they could have been made by European illustrators and botanists, possibly as part of a larger botanical survey or for inclusion in a comprehensive botanical text. The high level of detail and the vivid coloring techniques are indicative of the lithographic processes that were popular in botanical illustration during the 19th century, used to ensure that both the scientific community and horticultural enthusiasts could share knowledge and appreciation of plant species from around the world.
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 9.85 in (25 cm)Width: 6.42 in (16.3 cm)Depth: 0 in (0.02 mm)
  • Sold As:
    Set of 4
  • Materials and Techniques:
  • Period:
  • Date of Manufacture:
    Circa 1875
  • Condition:
    Condition: Good, given age. General age-related toning and/or occasional minor defects from handling. Colors are vivid. Please study scan carefully.
  • Seller Location:
    Langweer, NL
  • Reference Number:
    Seller: BG-13761-39, BG-13761-61, BG-13761-62, BG-13761-711stDibs: LU3054341439592

More From This Seller

View All
Vibrant Orchid and Clivia: A Botanical Duo from Van Houtte's Collection, c.1875
Located in Langweer, NL
The two prints are from Louis Van Houtte's "Flore des Serres et des Jardins de l'Europe" and illustrate two different species: 1. Sophronitis coccinea: - Latin Name: Sophronitis ...
Category

Antique 1870s Prints

Materials

Paper

Set of Three Botany Prints Winged Broom, Gentian, Mimulus
Located in Langweer, NL
Set of three antique chromolithographs titled 'Winged Broom - Swallow-Wort Gentian - Mimulus'. These prints originate from 'Familiar Garden Flowers...
Category

Antique Late 19th Century Prints

Materials

Paper

Original Botanical Treasures: The Orchids of Müller's 1904 Collection
Located in Langweer, NL
Botanical Treasures: The Orchids of Müller's 1904 Collection This collage is an assemblage of four botanical illustrations from Walter Müller's 1904 classic, 'Abbildungen der in Deu...
Category

Antique Early 1900s Prints

Materials

Paper

Lush and Vibrant: A Collection of Exotic Botanical Illustrations, circa 1875
Located in Langweer, NL
The prints depict a selection of exotic plants with a remarkable detail and vibrant color, showcasing the beauty and diversity of botanical life. Each illustration is a testament to ...
Category

Antique 1870s Prints

Materials

Paper

Galbanum and Hungarian Gentian: Rare Medicinal Plants Illustrated, 1805
Located in Langweer, NL
"Galbanum and Hungarian Gentian: Rare Medicinal Plants Illustrated, 1805" This stunning hand-colored copperplate engraving depicts two remarkable plants: the Galbanum (*Ferula galba...
Category

Antique Early 1800s Prints

Materials

Paper

Flora Illustrated: A Collection of 19th Century Botanical Art, Published c.1875
Located in Langweer, NL
The prints depict various botanical species, each illustrated with detailed attention to the morphology of the plants, including leaves, flowers, and sometimes fruits or seeds. These...
Category

Antique 1870s Prints

Materials

Paper

You May Also Like

Antique Monkey Engraving
Located in Dallas, TX
An antique engraving of a monkey called CAGVI minor, dated 1752 signed Edward Delin Anno. In a newer eglomise and guided wood frame with fruits, leaves and insects.
Category

Antique 1750s English Prints

Materials

Paper

Brodtmann Howler Monkey Lithograph, 1827
Located in Savannah, GA
Karl Joseph Brodtmann (Swiss, 1787-1862) Black howler, Alouatta caraya (Stentor barbatus), male and female. Lithograph from Heinrich Rudolf Schinz's Illustrated Natural History o...
Category

Antique 1820s Swiss Prints

Materials

Glass, Wood, Paper

Original Antique Animal Prints, Monkeys, 1847
Located in St Annes, Lancashire
Great images of monkeys Unframed. Lithographs after Cpt. Brown with original hand color. Published, 1847. The measurement is for 1 print Free shipping
Category

Antique 1840s English Folk Art Prints

Materials

Paper

Set of Four Hand Colored Monkey Prints
Located in Palm Beach, FL
This set of four hand colored copper plate engravings are illustrations by early 19th century naturalist J. H. Jacob first published in Italy in 1812, and are referred to as "Jacob's...
Category

Antique Early 19th Century Italian Regency Prints

Materials

Copper

Original Antique Print of Monkeys, 1847 'Unframed'
Located in St Annes, Lancashire
Great image of monkeys. Unframed. It gives you the option of perhaps making a set up using your own choice of frames. Lithograph after Cpt. Brown with original hand color. Publish...
Category

Antique 1840s English Folk Art Prints

Materials

Paper

Four Antique Victorian Ornithological Prints by John Gould England, C.1875
By John Gould
Located in London, GB
John Gould September 1804 – February 1881 Published by Thomas Rymer Jones / Dr Brehm, Cassells Book of Birds, volume III London C.1875. A set of four lithograph prints of parrots...
Category

Antique Mid-19th Century English Victorian Prints

Materials

Paper

Recently Viewed

View All