Prevost Original Watercolor Study of Flowers and Vine

PREVOST, Jean Louis (French, ca 1760-1810).
Studies of Flowers and Vine Leaves.
Watercolor and gouache on paper.
Signed, lower-left: "J. L. Prevost".
7 3/8" x 9 1/8" sheet, 17 1/2" x 19 1/4" framed.

Provenance: Marquis Philippe de Chennevieres; Louis De Glatigny.

Jean Louis Prevost was a successful and widely renowned flower painter, respected his watercolor and oil paintings, and for his engraved works. His paintings were consistently exhibited in the prestigious Paris Salon, and his original watercolors served as models for a series of exquisite color-plate botanical books. His "Collection des Fleurs et des Fruits" is one of the greatest French flower books of the early 19th century. Unlike Redoute, his great contemporary, Prevost's intention with his works was not primarily scientific. His great "Collection" was intended as a reference work for china and fabric pattern designers.

Prevost here demonstrates his mastery of the traditional still-life genre. These strong compositions indicate his aesthetic concerns, while the delicate, detailed and highly accurate depiction of each flower also exemplifies the artist's exceptional rendering skill. Although he was not primarily a botanist, all of Prevost's works were based on careful observation of specimens.