Artwork
Plantae Selectae: No. 66 - Rhododendron
Plantae Selectae: No. 66 - Rhododendron is a print by the Romanticist artist Georg Dionysius Ehret. It dates from 1762 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
Georg Dionysius Ehret’s botanical print titled *Plantae Selectae* No. 66 depicts a rhododendron and dates from 1762. Executed as a detailed illustration, the work forms part of Ehret’s series of selected plants, intended to convey the form and structure of the species with scientific precision.
Technique & Style
The image was produced using the printmaking methods common to mid‑eighteenth‑century botanical illustration, likely a copperplate engraving rendered in fine line work and stippling. Ehret’s approach combines exacting observation with a clear, uncluttered composition, emphasizing the flower’s morphology while maintaining an aesthetic balance.
History & Provenance
Created in the early 1760s, the print entered the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art, where it is currently conserved and displayed. Its acquisition reflects the museum’s commitment to preserving historic scientific illustration alongside works of art.
Artist & collection
Artist
Georg Dionysius Ehret was a German botanist and entomologist known for his botanical illustrations.
