Lot 1132

Rabel - Pair of Iris Engravings

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Rabel - Pair of Iris Engravings

Estimate: $1,500 - $2,500

Starting Bid: $250

(0 Bids)

by Trillium Antique Prints & Rare Books
June 20, 2026 9:00 AM CDT
Live Auction
115 Hampsted Lane
Franklin, TN, US 37069

This exquisite botanical engraving is from Daniel Rabel's Theatrum Florae. It's considered the unacknowledged fourth edition of the work that was bound with Maria Sibylla Merian's work entitled Histoire Generale des Insectes de Surinam... for the Buc'hoz & Desnos 1771 printing. It was published in Paris by Chez L. C. Desnos in 1771.

The work is the rarest of Desnos's extraordinary publications. "The plates in Theatrum Florae are indeed magnificent... While the images clearly owe much to the earlier florilegia of Vallet and de Bry, certain illustrations stand out due to their exceptional artistic quality and almost scientific realism..." ( Oak Spring Flora)

Rabel's name was omitted from the work in earlier editions (1622, 1627, and 1633). He only began getting the credit and re-attribution of this work to him in the last 70 years. Blunt considered Rabel to be one of the two greatest French botanical artists of the 17th century, noting that his work, along with that of his successor Nicolas Robert, was 'consummate in its perfection.' (The Art of Botanical Illustration p.114)

  • Dimensions: ~ 12 3/4" by 19 3/4"; Image ~ 8 1/2" by 14" (Varies slightly)
  • Literature: Theatrum Florae
  • Medium: Engraving with Professional Hand-coloring
  • Circa: 1771
  • Condition: The work is in very good condition overall. There is some very light smudging near the borders. There may be a few minor imperfections or faint marks or fox marks to be expected with age. Please review the image carefully for condition and contact us with any questions.

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