Pierre-Joseph Redoute trained under the great Dutch painter Van Spaendonk , the Master of Painting at the Jardin du Roi. His flower painting soon caught the eye of French aristocrat l'Hertier de Boutelle, who became his patron and for whom he complete several studies. His beautiful flower paintings and stipple engravings were known throughout Europe and he was instrumental in Napoleon's efforts to restore and expand the Jardin where he replaced Van Spaendonk as Master of Painting. The Empress Josephine commissioned Redoute to do several botanical projects as well. He often collaborated with his brother and Pancrea Bessa, fellow botanical illustrators. His graphic studies included Les Liliacees (1802-1808), Les Roses (1817-1824), and Choix Plus Belles Fleuers (1827-1833) as well as Duhamel de Monceau's Traite des Arbres et Albustes (1801-1819), Michaux's North American Sylva (1810-1813) and Plantes Rares Cultivaees a Malmaison (1812-1817).