Background:

These hand-colored Botanical prints are from the folio Flore des Jardiniers (Flowers of the Gardener) and feature the illustrations of the French botanical artist Pancrace Bessa (1772-1835). Bessa, who at one time worked under the botanical artist Pierre Joseph Redoute, created this folio of flowers native to French gardens.  Each plate portrays one flower, and some also provide detail of the parts of the flower as well.  The Latin and French names of the flowers are given on each plate.