Description
Les Promenades de Paris was originally issued in 96 parts. In addition to the chromolithographs of ornamental plants, it included plates and engravings of the design schemes initiated by Alphand.
Jean Charles Adolphe Alphand was trained as an engineer, and came to Paris in 1854 as a protégé of Baron Haussmann. Unlike Haussmann, he managed to hold onto his job under the regime of Napoleon III, and continued the development of the Bois de Boulogne, the Bois de Vincennes, and other important parks and public gardens. His first notable accomplishment was to salvage the poorly conceived plan for the Bois de Boulogne initiated by another designer. He also oversaw the layout of new arterial roads through Paris , including tree-lined Quais, and 24 new public gardens. In 1870, Alphand was put in charge of the fortifications of Paris, and shortly thereafter was put in charge of all the city services. In 1889, he managed the successful Exposition Universelle.
G. Severeyns was a leading Belgian lithographer of his period, who produced chromolithographs after various artists for many botanical books and publications, including Lindenia (Iconographie des Orchidées), published in Belgium from 1885 to 1903.
Pieter De Pannemaeker was a prolific watercolor artist and printmaker active in Ghent, Belgium, in the 19th century. He specialized in landscapes and botanicals and contributed to many periodicals and publications when Belgium was the leading center for botanical publishing. His credits include art and chromolithographs for Jean Jules Linden’s publications Lindenia and L’Illustration Horticole.
Auguste Bry was a lithographer and print publisher in 19th century Paris.
Condition: Generally very good with usual overall light toning and wear.
References:
Bénézit, E. Dictionnaire critique et documentaire des Peintres, Sculpteurs, Dessinateurs et Graveurs. France: Librairie Gründ, 1966. Vol 6, p. 503. (De Pannemaeker)
“Les Personnages: Jean Charles Adolphe Alphand.” Le Palais Beaumont. http://www.paucc.com/pdc_public/fr/personnages/AA.htm (18 May 2004).