Paperwhite Narcissus (Narcissus tazetta, Plate 53) by Pierre Joseph Redouté, 1827

Pierre-Joseph Redouté’s Choix des plus belles fleurs, plate 53, published in 1827, presents the tazetta narcissus (Narcissus tazetta) as both botanical specimen and poised ornamental arrangement. A compact cluster of white flowers occupies the centre of the pale cream field, each bloom distinguished by a warm yellow cup. Long green leaves rise around the flower head in sweeping curves, giving the otherwise carefully balanced composition a gentle upward momentum.

Redouté was among the most admired botanical illustrators of the early nineteenth century, renowned for combining close observation with exceptional decorative refinement. His flower books belonged to a culture in which botanical imagery served several purposes at once: recording the identifying structures of a plant, satisfying an expanding interest in horticulture and offering readers images of considerable visual pleasure. Choix des plus belles fleurs—a selection of particularly prized flowers—allowed Redouté to treat familiar garden subjects with the clarity of natural history and the grace of formal portraiture.

A closer look

The central flower cluster is constructed through a series of subtle overlaps. Some blossoms turn fully towards the viewer, revealing their rounded yellow centres, while others tilt to the side or partially disappear behind neighbouring petals. This variation prevents the group from becoming diagrammatic: the individual flowers remain legible, yet they also read as a single many-flowered head. Fine lines trace the folds and veins of the white petals, and restrained grey-green shading gives their pale surfaces volume without disturbing the lightness of the page.

Colour is concentrated sparingly. The yellow cups form a lively sequence of small, luminous accents amid the white corollas, while the leaves and stem supply deeper greens below and to either side. A slender leaf arches through the upper left, countering the straighter stem that rises from the lower right. Within the foliage, gradual shifts from darker green at the base to paler tips suggest curvature and growth. The broad, unworked ground around the plant is equally important: it isolates the narcissus from any garden setting and directs attention towards its structure, from the supporting stem to the crowded crown of flowers.

At the lower edge, the carefully placed naming inscriptions return the composition to its botanical purpose. The French wording identifies the subject as a many-flowered narcissus, while the Latin name, Narcissus tazetta, provides its scientific designation. These modest lines of text do not compete with the plant; instead, they anchor Redouté’s elegant presentation in the descriptive conventions of botanical publishing.

Context and significance

Redouté’s distinction lies in this equilibrium between information and embellishment. The narcissus is shown without incidental scenery, gardening tools or decorative borders, yet it never feels clinically detached. Changes in posture between the blooms, the rhythmic spread of the petals and the measured asymmetry of the leaves turn a taxonomic subject into a carefully orchestrated design. Such qualities helped make his flower books admired not only as works of botanical study but also as expressions of the cultivated taste surrounding flowers in early nineteenth-century Europe.

This plate rewards attention precisely because its elegance is built from small observations: the concavity of each yellow cup, the slight turn of a petal, the layering of one flower behind another and the contrasting sweep of the leaves. Redouté gives the tazetta narcissus enough precision to be recognised and studied, while preserving the freshness and irregularity of a living cluster.

Choosing the right size and finish

Artwork can feel intimate at smaller sizes and dramatically more architectural at larger ones. Use the room preview, model image and size guide to see how the proportions and scale will work in your space.

If you need an exact size, specialist framing or help planning a larger display, ask our workshop for advice.

The model in the listing images is holding the 18x24in (45x60cm) version of this art print.

Where personalisation is available, you can add a short title or dedication, or one considered visual detail. See examples of personalised artwork.

Choose Original to retain the colour and character of the source artwork, or Aged for a warmer, more antique appearance. See examples of our Aged artwork.

Every piece is produced to archival standards using fade-resistant pigment inks on acid-free matte art paper. Choose an art print, framed art print or framed canvas using the finish options above.

Framed art prints use crystal-clear optical acrylic for excellent clarity, lower weight and safer delivery than glass. Each piece arrives professionally framed and ready to hang.

Selected artworks can be produced at statement sizes up to 3 metres (10ft). Custom sizing and specialist framing are also available. If the exact option you need is not listed, contact our workshop.