Artwork
Brier Bush Rose or Dog Rose (Rosa Sepium Rosea)
Brier Bush Rose or Dog Rose (Rosa Sepium Rosea) is a drawing by the Romanticist artist Pierre Joseph Redouté. It dates from 1820 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
- Accession no.
- 1959.18
- Credit line
- Gift in the name of Warren H. Corning from his wife and children
About this work
Overview
Brier Bush Rose or Dog Rose (Rosa Sepium Rosea) is a precise watercolor drawing by Pierre-Joseph Redouté, featuring a single brier bush rose with soft pink petals, sharply edged leaves, and thorned stem set against a plain white background.
Subject & Meaning
The depicted rose was part of Empress Josephine's extensive collection of over 250 rose varieties at her Malmaison estate gardens. The artwork highlights her patronage and passion for rare botanical species.
Technique & Style
Redouté's meticulous watercolor technique captures intricate details of the flower's structure, from petal curves to thorn textures, exemplifying his renowned botanical illustration skills.
History & Provenance
Commissioned by Empress Josephine, this piece was part of the Les Roses series, created during Redouté's tenure documenting the botanical treasures of Malmaison's gardens after the estate's renovation following Josephine's marriage to Napoleon in 1795.
Context
The work reflects the early 19th-century European interest in botany and horticultural collectionism among the aristocracy, facilitated by advancements in greenhouse technology, as seen in Malmaison's immense hothouse.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Pierre-Joseph Redouté (French pronunciation: 10 July 1759 – 19 June 1840), was a painter and botanist from the Austrian Netherlands, known for his watercolours of roses, lilies and other flowers at the Château de…
