Zephyre and Flore

Following the method of Bonnet, his mentor and colleague, Janinet created luxurious sets of color prints with printed gold frames and passed them off as foreign imports. Because the printmakers’ unauthorized use of gold leaf was eventually caught, only a limited number of gilded examples were produced. Impressions of these prints are scarce today, as many were ruined after being displayed in homes. This allegory of spring depicts Zephyre, the classical personification of the west wind, with his lover Flore, goddess of flowers