Signed and dated in the French Republican calendar (Year XII, corresponding to 1803/04), this watercolour on vellum by Pierre-Joseph Redouté (1759–1840) depicts lilacs, nasturtium and fuchsia.

Redouté was the celebrated Belgian-French botanical artist known as the Raphael of flowers, official court painter to Empress Josephine, and the most sought-after botanical illustrator of his era. His watercolours on vellum – as opposed to the more numerous engraved reproductions issued from his studio – represent the pinnacle of his output, prized for their unmediated, direct handling of colour and light.

Collectors of botanical art, Empress Josephine's Malmaison circle, and French Napoleonic-era natural history illustration will find this a fine example of Redouté's vellum work, distinct in technique and rarity from the engraved plates for which he is more widely known.