{"product_id":"bird-of-paradise-flower-strelitzia-reginae-by-pierre-joseph-redoute-1802","title":"Bird-of-Paradise Flower (Strelitzia reginae) by Pierre Joseph Redouté, 1802","description":"\u003cp\u003ePierre-Joseph Redouté’s \u003cem\u003eStrelitzia Reginae (1802–1816)\u003c\/em\u003e presents the bird-of-paradise flower (\u003cem\u003eStrelitzia reginae\u003c\/em\u003e) as a study in poised asymmetry. From a fan of broad green leaves rises a single extraordinary bloom: a horizontal, beak-like bract supporting orange petals and slender blue accents. The plant fills the upright composition without appearing crowded, its bold silhouette given clarity by the pale, largely unoccupied ground.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eCreated at the beginning of the nineteenth century, the study belongs to a flourishing period of illustrated botany, when images served both scientific classification and a growing fascination with plants gathered from beyond Europe. Redouté, a Belgian-born artist who established his career in Paris, became one of the period’s most accomplished botanical illustrators. His work was admired for reconciling exact observation with unusually graceful arrangement; the specimen remains legible as botany, yet is composed with the balance and visual distinction of a formal portrait.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eA closer look\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe flower commands the upper part of the plate through colour as much as position. Its orange petals extend upwards and outwards in sharp, flame-like points, interrupted by cooler blue details that intensify the surrounding warmth. Beneath them, the green bract projects laterally from the stem, giving the bloom its characteristic resemblance to the head and plumage of a tropical bird. This angular structure contrasts with the gentle curvature of the stems and the slower, broader rhythms of the foliage below.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAcross the lower half, overlapping leaves fan out from the base in subtly different directions. Some stand nearly upright, while others lean towards the edges, creating depth without the aid of a conventional landscape setting. Fine veins articulate their surfaces, and carefully graded greens suggest both their central folds and their slightly glossy texture. Darker leaves along the sides frame paler growth towards the centre, guiding the eye back to the flower rather than allowing the dense foliage to become a uniform mass.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSmall departures from strict symmetry make the plant feel observed rather than diagrammatic. A gently curving stem, variations in the edges of individual leaves and soft shadows around the base of the flower convey natural growth. At the lower margin, elegant script identifies the specimen, anchoring the decorative composition in the naming practices of botanical study.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eContext and significance\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eRedouté worked at a moment when botanical illustration demanded two kinds of precision. A plate needed to record characteristic structures clearly enough to be useful, while also satisfying readers for whom natural-history publications were objects of cultivated pleasure. His particular distinction lay in refusing to treat those aims as opposites. Here, the leaves are separated sufficiently to reveal their forms, but their placement also establishes a measured sequence of arcs, diagonals and overlaps.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe subject itself reinforces that union of science and spectacle. Native to South Africa, \u003cem\u003eStrelitzia reginae\u003c\/em\u003e takes its botanical name from royalty: the genus commemorates the house of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, while \u003cem\u003ereginae\u003c\/em\u003e means “of the queen”. Its unusual architecture gave Redouté a subject quite unlike the roses and lilies with which he is so closely associated. The result retains his characteristic delicacy while accommodating something more graphic and sculptural—a plant whose vivid flower appears almost constructed, yet whose leaves are rendered with patient naturalism.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eChoosing the right size and finish\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eArtwork can feel intimate at smaller sizes and dramatically more architectural at larger ones. Use the room preview, model image and size guide to see how the proportions and scale will work in your space.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIf you need an exact size, specialist framing or help planning a larger display, \u003ca href=\"\/it\/pages\/contact-us\"\u003eask our workshop for advice\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe model in the listing images is holding the 36x24in (90x60cm) version of this art print.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhere personalisation is available, you can add a short title or dedication, or one considered visual detail. \u003ca href=\"\/it\/pages\/map-personalisation\"\u003eSee examples of personalised artwork\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eChoose Original to retain the colour and character of the source artwork, or Aged for a warmer, more antique appearance. \u003ca target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/it\/pages\/sepia-aged-maps\"\u003eSee examples of our Aged artwork\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eEvery piece is produced to archival standards using fade-resistant pigment inks on acid-free matte art paper. Choose an art print, framed art print or framed canvas using the finish options above.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFramed art prints use crystal-clear optical acrylic for excellent clarity, lower weight and safer delivery than glass. Each piece arrives professionally framed and ready to hang.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSelected artworks can be produced at statement sizes up to 3 metres (10ft). Custom sizing and \u003ca target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/it\/pages\/custom-framing\"\u003especialist framing\u003c\/a\u003e are also available. If the exact option you need is not listed, \u003ca target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/it\/pages\/contact-us\"\u003econtact our workshop\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"The Unique Maps Co.","offers":[{"title":"A4 (210x297mm) \/ Art print","offer_id":59991445111168,"sku":null,"price":227.0,"currency_code":"CNY","in_stock":true},{"title":"A4 (210x297mm) \/ Framed art print","offer_id":59991445143936,"sku":null,"price":545.0,"currency_code":"CNY","in_stock":true},{"title":"A4 (210x297mm) \/ Framed canvas","offer_id":59991445176704,"sku":null,"price":636.0,"currency_code":"CNY","in_stock":true},{"title":"12x18in (30x45cm) \/ Art print","offer_id":59991445209472,"sku":null,"price":354.0,"currency_code":"CNY","in_stock":true},{"title":"12x18in (30x45cm) \/ Framed art print","offer_id":59991445242240,"sku":null,"price":953.0,"currency_code":"CNY","in_stock":true},{"title":"12x18in (30x45cm) \/ Framed 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