Illustrated title page for 'Les Fleurs Animées', on slightly yellowed paper. The title is spelled out in a variety of fanciful flower and leaf forms growing up from a plant with a central stem, two side branches, and four broad leaves. The colors are a mix of bright reds and pinks, sunshine yellow, pale green, light blue, and pale purple. The words are divided among the three branches: 'Les' at the top of the central stem, 'Fleurs' along the left branch, 'Animées' along the right. Below the 'Les' on the central stem are four small human figures clothed in flowers, connected to the stem by leaf caps. They seem to grow from the plant and wave cheerfully. 'Seconde Partie G. de Gonet Editeur' is written in capitalized letters on two pale green leaves. Two large insects, a yellow dragonfly and a red and yellow beetle, cling to the cut stem of the plant. The fine lines of the illustration are offset by a dense scramble of wavy lines behind the leaves, creating depth.

This object is currently on display in room 206 as part of Botanical Expressions. There is one other image of this object. See our image rights statement.

See more objects with the tag floral, fantasy, satire, book, fantastical creatures.

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	We acquired this object.
2019	We photographed this object. We photographed this object. We exhibited this object.
2022	You found it!

Les Fleurs Animees, Vol 2

This is a Les Fleurs Animees, vol 2.

This object is not part of the Cooper Hewitt's permanent collection. It was able to spend time at the museum on loan from Smithsonian Libraries and Archives as part of Botanical Expressions.

It is dated 1847. Its medium is lithograph on paper. It is a part of the department.

It is believed that Emile Gallé used Les Fleurs Animées to learn how
to read. Along with Gallé, renowned illustrator and cartoonist J. J.
Grandville was born in Nancy, but he later established himself in Paris.
In these two volumes, Grandville draws fashionable French ladies as
beautiful, wilting wildflowers or threatening poisonous herbs

It is credited Smithsonian Libraries, NC248 .G7F6 1847.

An illustrated title page for 'Les Fleurs Animées', written in fanciful flower and leaf forms. 'Les Fleurs' grows out in pale multicolor flower-forms from a slender, arched stem, filling the upper third of the page. 'Animées' is written with a ribbonlike, yellow-orange and pink vine held up by a woman standing below the floral lettering. She wears a pale green leaf dress with white and pale pink flower ornaments. One leg is extended behind her; her other tiptoe foot stands on a broad, pale green leaf inscribed with the names of the contributors to the book, written in an assortment of fanciful lettering: 'Dessins par J.I. Grandville Graves sur acier par C. Geoffroi Introductions par Alph. Karr. Texte par Taxile Delord. Botanique et horticulture des dames par le Cte. Fœlix'. A pale blue riddon tied to the base of the stem at left gives more information: 'G. de Gonet Edit. Rue des Beaux Arts'. Two brown beetles, one wearing a pink flower as a cap, climb up the stem of the flower. A multicolor butterfly and insect hover over the flower letters. The delicate lines are hatched and crosshatched to create shading; a dense crosshatched area behind this scene creates depth.

Les Fleurs Animees, Vol. 1
H x W (book open): 27 × 36 cm (10 5/8 × 14 3/16 in.).
Smithsonian Libraries, NC248 .G7F6 1847.
139.2018.12

The right page of a book, showing an illustration of two types of carnation flowers in muted yellows, oranges, pinks, and greens on creamy paper. At center are two similar flowers with long stems and leaves, crossed over each other. The small, frilled flowers bloom in a cluster. The left flowers are pale yellow, the right are pinkish-orange with pale yellow. Nestled just above the cross of the stems is 'Fig. 1' in elegant script, referring to a caption below. To the left of the flowers is another carnation, labelled 'Fig. 2' at lower left, with two medium-sized dark pink flowers atop a slender green stem. The left flower is seen from the side; the right is a view into the flower, with layers of frilled petals. To the right of the crossed flowers, at the middle of the page, is a cutaway diagram of parts of the flower. The captions below read 'Fig. 1 CARYOPHYLLUS' and 'Fig. 2 CARYOPHYLLUS' with further slanting script possibly indicating the scientific names and publishing information. The page is labelled 'Pl. LXXXI' in the upper right corner.

Figures Of The Most Beautiful, Useful, And Uncommon Plants , Book
hand-colored or color-printed and hand-finished, etched and engraved plates.
Gift of John Donnell Smith, Smithsonian Libraries, QK9 .M64f 1760.
139.2018.6

A Floral Fantasy In An Old English Garden: Set Forth In Verses & Coloured Design, Book

A Floral Fantasy In An Old English Garden: Set Forth In Verses & Coloured...
lithograph on paper.
Gift of Elizabeth d’Hauteville Kean, Smithsonian Libraries, NX650 .F57 C89....
139.2018.14

Our curators have highlighted 2 objects that are related to this one.

Drawing, Lettering Design for Vase
pen and black ink, red and blue crayon, graphite on lined paper [irregular].
1986-123-2

Vase (France)
glass.
Bequest of Max Kobre.
1996-45-10

Its dimensions are

H x W (book open): 27 × 36 cm (10 5/8 × 14 3/16 in.)

Short URL http://cprhw.tt/o/4wUs4Z/
Accession Number 139.2018.13
Object ID 2318798703