Pierre Joseph Redouté

This magnificent watercolour over graphite on vellum of Magnolia Metrosyderos glauca (1812) is by Pierre Joseph Redouté, the "Raphael of flowers". The finest botanical draughtsman of his age, he worked for both Marie-Antoinette and the Empress Joséphine. His school of botanical drawing in Paris attracted more than 80 pupils. This week The Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge opened Flower Drawings: Redouté and his Pupils, which runs until 30 October. You'll find it in the Shiba Gallery (title link). Check the other exhibitions too.