Twelve Months – after Pieter Casteels, ca. 1760-1770

THE TWELVE MONTHS OF FLOWERS – COMPLETE SET, C. 1770

“The Twelve Months of Flowers”, copper engravings after designs by Pieter Casteels III, originally created for the London nurseryman Robert Furber in 1730–1731. Re-engraved by Robert Sheppard and Thomas Bowles and published by Robert Sayer and John King in London, c. 1760–1770. With original hand-colouring. Size (plate mark): each approx. 34.5 × 24.5 cm.

This highly decorative, complete set of twelve flower engravings celebrates the richness of the flowering year in twelve sumptuous still lifes, one for each month. Elaborately ornamented vases are filled with dozens of flowers that bloom during the respective month. From the first snowdrops, hyacinths and anemones of winter and early spring, through the tulips, irises, roses and lilies of spring and summer, to the asters, marigolds and other late-flowering ornamental plants of autumn.

The floral arrangements are composed with a keen sense of balance and harmony. Large, colourful flowers form the focal points, while smaller blossoms, buds and graceful stems fill the spaces between them. Some flowers cascade over the rims of the vases, while others lie scattered on the stone balustrades. The vases are decorated with classical figures, putti, reliefs and other ornaments, lending the compositions the exuberant character of Baroque flower still lifes.

The series originated from a remarkable initiative by Robert Furber (c. 1674–1756), a nurseryman who operated a nursery in Kensington, then on the outskirts of London. Seeking to promote his extensive assortment of flowers, bulbs and seeds to an affluent clientele of gardening enthusiasts, Furber collaborated with the Antwerp-born painter Pieter Casteels III (1684–1749), who had established a reputation in England for his paintings of flowers and birds.

Casteels designed twelve floral still lifes, which were engraved on copper in 1730–1731 by Henry Fletcher. The prints were intended not merely as a decorative series, but also served as one of the earliest illustrated commercial flower catalogues in England.

Across the twelve months, approximately 400 different flowers and varieties available from Furber’s nursery were illustrated. Each flower was assigned a number corresponding to its name in a list beneath the engraving, enabling customers to identify and order the plants they desired. These names also provide a fascinating insight into the range of plants available and the horticultural fashions of the eighteenth century. At the time, English garden enthusiasts were interested in both familiar garden flowers and newly introduced exotic ornamentals.

The present set belongs to a later, newly engraved edition marketed by the London print sellers Robert Sayer and John King. The compositions are somewhat smaller than those in Furber’s original edition and are reproduced in reverse.

Price: Euro 8.500,- (incl. 12 frames)