NYBG Collection Precieuse Butterfly Mug

The brightly colored botanical illustration on this porcelain mug is from Collection Precieuse et Enluminée des Fleurs, a most unusual work of botanical art published in Paris in 1776 by the prolific naturalist Pierre-Joseph Buc’hoz. Native Chinese artists created the original illustrations, which were then engraved and hand colored in Paris. The result is a collection of images with a unique and utterly charming flavor—a distinct mix of East and West.

The illustrations are from the Rare Book Collection of the Mertz Library here at the Botanical Garden.

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