Lot 307
Engraved by Guillaume Albert Charles Severeyns (Belgian, 1834-1879). Painted by Bernard Leon (Belgian, active XIX century). "Camellia Conestabile" hand-painted lithograph, 1850s. Published in "Nouvelle Iconographie des Camellias" by Ambroise Verschaffelt (Belgian, 1825-1886) in Ghent, from 1848 to 1860. Lithographer, painter, and publisher printed at bottom within plate. A luminous study in botanical elegance, this hand-painted lithograph of "Camellia Conestabile" captures the cultivated perfection that defined 19th century European horticulture, its velvety crimson bloom unfolding in precise, almost sculptural symmetry. Executed with remarkable finesse, the composition was painted by Bernard Leon and engraved by the celebrated Belgian chromolithographer Guillaume Albert Charles Severeyns, whose work stands among the finest achievements of the medium. Size of print: 6" W x 9" H (15.2 cm x 22.9 cm); of frame: 14" W x 17" H (35.6 cm x 43.2 cm)
The flower is rendered with a clarity that borders on devotion - each petal carefully modeled in graduated tones of rose and carmine, set against glossy, deep green leaves that balance the composition with quiet restraint.
The print was issued as part of the monumental "Nouvelle Iconographie des Camellias", published in Ghent between 1848 and 1860 by Ambroise Verschaffelt, heir to a distinguished dynasty of Belgian nurserymen. Conceived as both scientific record and commercial catalogue, the series ultimately comprised 624 plates documenting newly cultivated camellia varieties. It continues the grand tradition established by Lorenzo Berlese, yet surpasses it in scale and technical ambition. As noted by De Belder, the work remains one of the rarest and most significant camellia iconographies of the 19th century - less a book than a cultivated garden on paper.
The Verschaffelt family, deeply embedded in the botanical life of Ghent, introduced exotic species gathered by plant hunters across South America and beyond, transforming European gardens into theaters of global flora. Within this context, the present image functions not merely as illustration, but as advertisement, documentation, and quiet celebration of botanical conquest.
Printed inscriptions within the plate credit the painter, engraver, and publisher, grounding the work in its collaborative 19th century production. The hand-applied color, still vivid, reflects the extraordinary craftsmanship achieved by Belgian lithographers at the height of their technical mastery.
The lithograph is presented in a finely carved gilt wooden Eastlake frame, whose rich ornament - with incised linear motifs, beaded borders, and stylized foliate carving - offers a striking architectural counterpoint to the softness of the bloom within. The frame itself, with its disciplined geometry and restrained flourish, anchors the composition in the aesthetic language of the later 19th century, transforming the print into a complete decorative object of considerable presence. Both scientific artifact and decorative triumph, this work embodies a moment when art, botany, and commerce bloomed together - and did so beautifully.
Provenance: private Colorado, USA collection; private collection of a private Colorado, USA family
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#202007
- Condition: Mounted behind glass in custom matte and Eastlake glit wood frame; has not been examined outside of glass. Some minor cockling to right side, as well as light stains and foxing in areas. Otherwise, print is in very good condition with clear imagery and text and vibrant pigments. Wear to frame with stable hairline fissures, scuffs, nicks, abrasions, chips, and restoration in areas. Nice overall presentation.
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