FlorilegiumParis

FlorilegiumParis, circa 1660. Very fine and rare gold and painted on enamel, ruby-set portrait locket. Notes Exhibition: J. Kugel, "Joyaux Renaissance, une Splendeur Retrouvée", Paris, 2000. Published in the catalogue as No. 120.In the early 17th century the florilegium came into being. This was a collection of flower plants, usually printed on copperplates, as opposed to earlier woodcut prints, and they were intended as design sources. In 1611 J.T. de Bry began his work "Icones Plantarum", devoted to garden plants. During this period, flowers came to be considered beautiful things worth painting for their own sake. Thus, the still life with flowers was born. Very few enamels of this type have survived. Flowers paintedn black ground are very rare during this early period. The earliest example we know of was done by Henri Toutin for a medallion for Anne d'Autriche, after she became a widow in 1643 (Félibien, p. 437). From surviving examples there is one in private British Collection.