Peonies Journal — Redouté 1827 Choix des plus belles

The peony has been cultivated for more than two thousand years — from the imperial gardens of Tang dynasty China, where the emperor Xuanzong planted ten thousand tree peonies and the poet Li Bai compared their beauty to that of the imperial consort, to the gardens of Malmaison, where Empress Joséphine commissioned Pierre-Joseph Redouté to give them the portraits they deserved; the front cover presents Redouté's Moutan peony (Paeonia moutan suffruticosa) with botanical diagrams in his signature stipple-engraving technique set against a deep dark blue background, while the back cover presents Plate 071 from Choix des plus belles fleurs (1827) — the Pivoine de la Chine (Paeonia lactiflora), its full abundant blooms in deep rose, blush pink, and cream glowing against the dark blue with the luminosity of gallery-quality art.

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Product Details

• Format: Hardcover journal with matte laminated full-wrap cover
• Pages: 150 lined pages (75 sheets) with perforations for easy removal
• Binding: Casewrap sewn binding — flexible and lay-flat
• Dimensions: 5.75 × 8 inches
• Weight: 250 g (0.55 lbs)
• Cover: Matte laminated full-wrap print

Perfect For

• Peony lovers and botanical art collectors
• Redouté admirers and French botanical illustration enthusiasts
• Garden journalers documenting peony cultivation and floral observations
• Students of 19th-century French botanical illustration and stipple-engraving
• Everyday writing, floral design notes, and creative journaling
• Thoughtful gifts for anyone captivated by Napoleonic elegance and the gardens of Malmaison