Le délicat bouquet de roses et de pivoines de Redouté et de Thilo Westermann à Malmaison
An exhibition titled "Roses & Pivoines" has opened at the Château de Bois-Préau in Malmaison, France, pairing the 19th-century botanical watercolors of Pierre-Joseph Redouté with contemporary glass-painting works by German artist Thilo Westermann. Redouté, famous for his meticulous rose and peony illustrations commissioned by Empress Joséphine Bonaparte, is shown alongside Westermann's pointillist technique on glass, which he developed from 2014 onward. The show also includes works by Jan-Frans van Dael and Cornelis van Spaendonck, plus scent stations for visitors to smell rose essences.
This exhibition matters because it bridges historical botanical art and contemporary practice, highlighting how floral painting has evolved from scientific documentation to conceptual dialogue. By placing Redouté's legacy—tied to Malmaison's famous gardens—in conversation with Westermann's innovative glass-point technique, the show underscores the enduring relevance of nature as a subject in fine art. It also draws attention to Malmaison as a historic site of botanical conservation and artistic patronage.