Redoute, a Belgian born artist who lived his life in Paris was the most famous and celebrated painter of his era. He was an official court artist of Queen Marie Antoinette, and he continued painting through the French Revolution. Paris was the cultural and scientific center of Europe. Redoute survived the turbulent political upheaval to become the official artist to Empress Josephine, wife of Napoleon Bonaparte. The roses he painted in her garden at Malmaison were translated into beautiful stipple printed engravings in his most famous work, Les Roses.He also published a Les Liliacees in eight volumes from 1802-1816. These stipple engravings printed in color and finished with hand-coloring are from his most ambitious work and is generally regarded as his masterpiece. The 488 plates include plants from the lily, amaryllis, iris, orchid and other plant families.