Atamasco Lily (Amaryllis atamasco, Plate 33) by Pierre Joseph Redouté, 1805

Pierre-Joseph Redouté’s Les liliacees Pl.33 (1805-1816), published in 1805, presents the Atamasco lily (Amaryllis atamasco) as a study in contrasts. On the left, a single blush-pink flower rises from an exposed bulb; on the right, a second specimen is defined by a fan of long, tapering green leaves. Rather than arranging the plant as a decorative bouquet, Redouté separates its forms across a pale ground, giving equal attention to bloom, foliage, bulb and root.

The plate belongs to Redouté’s celebrated botanical series Les liliacées. Working at a time when botany was developing rapidly as a scientific discipline, he brought together the demands of close observation and the refinement of courtly flower painting. His illustrations helped make botanical subjects intelligible to scholars while also appealing to collectors: accuracy and elegance were not treated as opposing aims, but as parts of the same visual language.

A closer look

The flowering specimen occupies the left side of the composition. Its six pale pink segments open around a small yellow centre, their colour deepening towards the base and fading gently towards the tips. Fine, light lines follow the structure of the flower, lending volume without heavy modelling. The slender stem descends to an earthy brown bulb, where delicate roots remain fully visible rather than being concealed below an imagined ground line.

To the right, the emphasis shifts from flower to foliage. Narrow green leaves rise in a loose vertical cluster, some nearly upright and others bending slightly away from the centre. Their differing widths and directions prevent the plant from becoming rigid, while subtle tonal changes along the edges suggest smooth, fresh surfaces. Below them, another carefully shaded bulb anchors the otherwise airy arrangement.

The spacious interval between the two specimens is essential to the plate’s effect. It allows each structure to be examined independently, yet the asymmetrical pairing remains balanced: the concentrated pink bloom on one side is answered by the greater height and spread of the leaves on the other. Small bulb-like forms near the bases add further botanical detail. At the lower edge, the label “Amaryllis atamasco Var. minor” identifies one of the forms represented, connecting the poised composition to its classificatory purpose.

Context and significance

Redouté was among the leading flower illustrators of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. His particular achievement lay in giving scientific description an unusually graceful pictorial order. Here, the exposed underground structures are as carefully articulated as the flower itself: the plate does not merely record the plant at its most attractive moment, but considers its complete growth habit.

Botanical publications of this period occupied a productive space between natural history and art. Their plates enabled plants to be studied beyond the garden or herbarium, while their disciplined arrangements encouraged a new kind of attentive looking. Plate 33 exemplifies that dual purpose. Its restrained palette, generous negative space and precise differentiation of petal, leaf, bulb and root transform a single species into both a botanical record and a remarkably lucid composition.

Choosing the right size and finish

Artwork can feel intimate at smaller sizes and dramatically more architectural at larger ones. Use the room preview, model image and size guide to see how the proportions and scale will work in your space.

If you need an exact size, specialist framing or help planning a larger display, ask our workshop for advice.

The model in the listing images is holding the 36x24in (90x60cm) version of this art print.

Where personalisation is available, you can add a short title or dedication, or one considered visual detail. See examples of personalised artwork.

Choose Original to retain the colour and character of the source artwork, or Aged for a warmer, more antique appearance. See examples of our Aged artwork.

Every piece is produced to archival standards using fade-resistant pigment inks on acid-free matte art paper. Choose an art print, framed art print or framed canvas using the finish options above.

Framed art prints use crystal-clear optical acrylic for excellent clarity, lower weight and safer delivery than glass. Each piece arrives professionally framed and ready to hang.

Selected artworks can be produced at statement sizes up to 3 metres (10ft). Custom sizing and specialist framing are also available. If the exact option you need is not listed, contact our workshop.