Pierre
Joseph Buchoz (1731-1807)
Eight
Palm Tree Studies
from
Histoire Universelle du Règne Végétal
[Universal History of the Plant Kingdom]
Paris:
1774-80
Hand
colored engravings
14.5
x 10 inches, overall
12.5
x 7.75 inches, plate mark
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Palm Tree Studies
Joseph Buchoz
Joseph Buchoz
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Set of palm tree studies, each illustration combining scientific accuracy and a sophisticated aesthetic sense with artistic arrangements on the pages highlighting their shapes, colors, and textural features. The creative compositions emphasize the graceful curves of palm fronds and tree trunks. The coconuts, berries, and other fruits of the trees are illustrated in fine detail, as well as their root systems and stages of growth. The compositions and content vary from scientifically based details of tree parts to a man climbing the trunk of a tree to retrieve coconuts.
These prints are among 1200 plates from the set of a broad variety of botanicals by Pierre Joseph Buchoz (also spelled Buc'hoz), an extremely prolific author of botanical books in the latter half of the 18th century. Buchoz produced over 300 volumes of natural science books, with a particular emphasis on botany. Born in Metz, he was physician to the King of Poland by age 28, but he left his post to pursue his interest in botany.
Certain critics were dismissive of Buchoz as a scientist and original artist, pointing to the questionable science, inaccurate descriptions and liberal borrowings from other authors scattered through his works. The composition and quality of his prints, however, are comparable to best natural history works of the same period. Indeed, Buchoz was a member of academies in France and Europe and his Histoire Universelle du Règne Végétal (1774-1780) earned the approval of the Academy of Science. Among his productions are also some charming and interesting plates. He published the first drawings of Chinese plants made by native artists and many of his other works show the stylistic influence of Asian art about 100 years before it took the Parisian art world by storm.
References:
Blunt, Wilfred, rev. by Stearn, William T. The Art of Botanical Illustration. Woodbridge, Suffolk, England: Antique Collectors Club, 1994. pp. 175, 178-9.
"Buchoz, Pierre-Joseph." Fonds Patrimonial du SCD de l'Université Rennes 2. http://www.uhb.fr/scd/fonds/buchoz1.htm (28 January 2004).