18th Century French Hand-Colored Botanical Pear Engravings – “Bezy De Quessoy” & “Messire-Jean” – Framed Pair

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A beautiful pair of late 18th century French botanical engravings depicting the historic pear cultivars “Bezy de Quessoy” and “Messire-Jean.” … Read more A beautiful pair of late 18th century French botanical engravings depicting the historic pear cultivars “Bezy de Quessoy” and “Messire-Jean.” These detailed fruit studies were originally published in the celebrated horticultural work Traité des Arbres Fruitiers by French botanist Henri Louis Duhamel du Monceau, one of the most important botanical publications of the period.

Each engraving is a copperplate print with delicate hand-applied watercolor, illustrating the pears alongside their foliage and blossoms in the elegant scientific style characteristic of French pomology. The prints retain the original inscriptions including “L.B. del.” for the artist and engravers Charles Milsan and Elisabeth Haussard.

The engravings display the subtle impression from the copper engraving process and the fine linework typical of 18th-century botanical illustration. Both are presented as framed artwork with soft pastel matting that beautifully complements the tones of the prints.

Matted in a floral painted frame with gold edging.
Circa 1770-1800 See less