Plate from Iconographie du Genre Camellia ou Description et Figures Des Camellia Les Plus Beaux et Les Plus Rares Peints D'Aprés Nature.
[Iconography of the Camellia or Description and Pictures of the Most Beautiful and the Most Rare Camellias Painted from Nature].

Abbé Lorenzo Berlèse (1784-1863) was an Italian priest who became fascinated with the camellia plant upon his move to Paris, where he was to be a chaplain. Camellias captured the Western imagination when travellers to Japan and China would return with the so-called 'Japan rose'. It was named camellia by Carl Linneaus, and began to be cultivated successfully and in larger numbers toward the end of the eighteenth century.
Berlèse accumulated a significant collection of camellias over twenty years and eventually deciding to record them. J.J. Jung, a lesser known artist, engraved the plates in a striking style, affirming the strong influence of Redouté over botanical works of this period.

A fine stipple engraving, partly printed in colour and finished by hand and heightened with gum arabic. Drawn by J.J. Jung and engraved by Oudet, Gabriel and Dumenil. Sheet size: 35.4cm x 26.2cm.
Mounted, overall size: 46.7cm x 38cm.

Great Flower Books p. 50;