Lillium Pomponium (Turban Lily), plate 7 from Les Liliacées

The Belgian Pierre-Joseph Redouté became the most celebrated botanical illustrator of his day, serving as court painter in France to Marie Antoinette and later, the Empress Josephina. Called the “Raphaël des fleurs” (Raphael of flowers), he published two lavish collections of his botanical illustrations that were reproduced as stipple engravings, printed in color, and finished with painting by hand. This is one plate from the eight-volume Les Liliacées (1802–1816), which is devoted to the lily family—plants that grow from bulbs, corms, or tubers.