Amaryllis, Naked Lady

Lise Cloquet, also known as Anne-Louise Cloquet, was a French botanical painter who picked up drawing from her father, illustrator and engraver Jean-Baptiste-Antoine Cloquet. Lise’s flower paintings are evidence of a wealthy family background; painting flowers was thought to be a suitable pastime for wealthy women because of its more effeminate qualities. Cloquet’s works thus exhibit an interest, primarily, in artistic details rather than scientific ones.
The Amaryllis is a flower which has not only been integrated into the western garden, but into our western mythologies as well. Classical poets like Ovid and Virgil write of Amaryllis as a virginal nymph, and the greek words from which “amaryllis” derive translates to “sparkle” in english. The Amaryllis captivated viewers since its introduction into Europe in the late seventeenth century. Josephine Bonaparte herself seemed to favor the plant, commissioning several paintings of the flower from Pierre Joseph Redouté, a possible tutor of Lise Cloquet.
Compositionally, this piece is fairly unique. Cloquet makes use of the full page, framing this specimen differently than many of her other flower paintings. She lessens the distance between viewer and flower, inciting inspection rather than simple admiration from the viewer. She utilizes vivid colors to enliven her illustration of the Amaryllis.
Fittingly, Cloquet herself seems interested in inspecting the flower. She depicts both the front and back of the petals, and details the captivating center of the flower. She is interested not in a generalized depiction of the Amaryllis flower, but in this specific specimen, including the withered spathe in her lovely illustration.