The Roses: Rosa Gallica Purpurea Velutina Parva

The subtle tones in Redouté’s paintings nearby were faithfully captured by engravers, but the prints do not imitate the spontaneity and deftness of the master’s brushwork, which carefully described every detail. The drawings were interpreted using the most skillful and refined stipple engraving but relied on a combination of printed and hand coloring. A thin wash of watercolor that closely matches the printing ink was meticulously applied over every part of the image, with an occasional use of contrasting tints for the highlights.