Common peony (Paeonia officinalis) – Original hand-colored engraving by Vietz, Antique Print

This original 18th-century hand-colored engraving depicts the Common Peony (Paeonia officinalis), illustrated by Vietz with a calm balance of botanical clarity and decorative grace.

Selected for its refined linework and harmonious palette, the composition brings the precision of early botanical publishing into contemporary interiors.

Visual and Aesthetic Analysis

The plate presents a clean, centred arrangement designed for legibility: foliage and floral elements are rendered with measured detail, while hand-colouring enhances volume without obscuring the engraving. The overall tonal restraint lends the work an elegant presence, suitable for curated botanical displays, studies, or refined living spaces.

About the Subject

The inclusion of Paeonia officinalis reflects the period’s interest in systematic botanical knowledge and the visual standardisation of plant forms. In works such as Icones Plantarum, subjects were chosen for their recognisable structure and for the clarity they could achieve through engraving and careful hand-colouring.

Historical Context

Issued within Vietz’s Icones Plantarum, these plates belong to an era when natural history was disseminated through finely printed and hand-finished images, intended to educate as well as to delight. Vietz’s approach privileges legibility, calm composition, and an enduring decorative harmony.

For further context on Vietz and the visual language of Icones Plantarum, see our editorial feature: Vietz – Icones Plantarum.

Condition Report

The print is in very good condition. The paper is laid. The surface is very Clean, no toning, no foxing, very ligh finger sign right bottom coner, small cream spot in left margin. The plate mark is fully visible, and the margins are generous.

Details

• Artist: Vietz
• Work: Icones Plantarum
• Period: 18th century
• Technique: Original hand-colored engraving
• Sheet size: approx. 23 × 18 cm

Each print is examined and presented individually, following our curatorial approach, and offered as an authentic period work without restoration that might compromise its historical integrity.