Description
Pierre Joseph Buchoz (also spelled Buc’hoz), was a French physician and naturalist as well as an extremely prolific author of natural history books in the latter half of the 18th century, with a particular emphasis on copiously illustrated sets of botanicals. Born in Metz, he served at various times as physician to the King of Poland, the brother of the King of France, and the Duke of Artois. Buchoz was a member of academies in France and Europe and his monumental Histoire Universelle du Règne Végétal ([1774-]1775-1780) — with 1,200 botanical engravings — earned the approval of the Academy of Science. Some of the plates in his works were apparently derived from those in works by others (such as de Sève) and Buchoz also managed to be so prolific because he often adapted text and material between and among his own works. Nonetheless, the overall quality of his prints is comparable to the best European and English natural history works of the same period in their great attention to composition and scientific detail, and in the quality of the engraving and coloring. Indeed, Buchoz also had the distinction of producing the first European florilegium in which a large number of the images were of flowers grown in Chinese gardens, and which widely incorporated the so called “Chinoiserie” style, in Collection Précieuse et Enluminée des Fleurs les Plus Belles et les Plus Curieuses (1776-79).
Condition: Generally very good with the usual overall light toning and wear.
References:
Blunt, Wilfred, rev. by Stearn, William T. The Art of Botanical Illustration. Woodbridge, Suffolk, England: Antique Collectors Club, 1994. pp. 175, 178-9.
Dunthorne, Gordon. Flower and Fruit Prints of the 18th and Early 19th Centuries. Their History, Makers and Uses, with a Catalogue Raisonne of the Works in Which They are Found. Washington, D.C.: Published by the Author, 1938. 60.
Nissen, Claus. Die Botanische Buchillustration: ihre Geschichte und Bibliographie. Stuttgart:1951-66. 282.
Pritzel, Georg August. Thesaurus Literaturae Botanicae Omnium Gentium. Milan: 1950. 1326
Sullivan, Michael. The Meeting of Eastern and Western Art. Berkeley and Los Angeles: University of California Press, 1989. p. 104. Online at Google Books: http://books.google.com/books?id=PMFwC1gP0BkC&pg=PA104 (10 November 2014).
