Original Antique Flame of the Forest Botanical Chromolithograph, ca.1880

€ 695

Original antique · The actual sheet photographed · Certificate of authenticity on request · Sold unframed · Worldwide shipping from € 15 (rates)

Date: 1880
Mapmaker / artist: After Berthe Hoola van Nooten (1817–1892)
Publisher: G. Severeyns, Brussels
Sheet size: 55.5 × 40 cm (21.9 × 15.7 in)
Condition: Good
Reference: BG-14326-18

What the condition grades mean

Excellent: Bright and clean, with no faults worth mentioning.
Very good: Only light signs of age, such as faint toning.
Good: Normal signs of age for a sheet of this period: toning, some foxing, small marks or neat old repairs.
Fair: Clear faults such as staining, tears or repairs, priced to match.

Every fault we see is written in the condition note, and the whole sheet is shown uncropped in the photos.

Condition

Good antique condition with age-related toning and minor foxing consistent with age. Please examine the photographs carefully.

About this sheet

An original antique botanical chromolithograph depicting Butea frondosa Roxb., now accepted as Butea monosperma, the magnificent Flame of the Forest. This exceptional plate was painted from nature by the renowned botanical artist Berthe Hoola van Nooten and published in the third edition of Fleurs, Fruits et Feuillages Choisis de la Flore et de la Pomone de l'Ile de Java, issued by G. Severeyns in Brussels around 1880.

This striking composition illustrates cascading clusters of brilliant orange-scarlet flowers set against rich green foliage, accompanied by botanical studies of the plant's distinctive curved petals. The dramatic color contrast and graceful arrangement make this one of the most decorative floral plates in Hoola van Nooten's celebrated series.

Native to India and widely cultivated throughout Indonesia and Southeast Asia, the Flame of the Forest is admired for its spectacular spring flowering, when entire trees become covered with vivid orange blossoms. The species has long been valued for its ornamental beauty, natural dyes, traditional medicine, and cultural significance across Asia.

Berthe Hoola van Nooten's botanical illustrations are regarded among the finest chromolithographs of the nineteenth century. Painted from living specimens in Batavia (present-day Jakarta), her works combine scientific precision with exceptional artistic refinement. The sophisticated chromolithographic process faithfully reproduces the brilliance and subtle tonal variations of the original watercolors.

Presented unframed. Images showing the print in a frame are for inspiration only. The frame is not included and may not be to scale.

Medium: Original chromolithograph on paper with original hand-finished color.