Antique BOTANICAL CHROMOLITHOGRAPH hotsell of red and white LILY illustrated by Goossens for Florilegium Harlemense, 1908. Vintage mat and frame

This lovely original chromolithograph of a stem of 3 crimson and white lilies and green leaves is from a folio of 148 botanical illustrations. Chromolithograph means "color from stone" and became the dominant method of hand-originated color printing in the hotsell nineteenth century. This botanical work of art was originally printed as "Florilegium Harlemense" in about 1908 in an English edition from the Dutch folio published in 1901. However it is possible that this chromolithograph is from the earlier Dutch edition.

This flower is an outstanding variety of the lily family that is desired for its fragrance, late-summer bloom and beauty. In nature, the recurved pendent flowers are 6″ across, white and red in color. It makes a statement in any garden, or on your wall as this stunning original print.

The gorgeous illustration was done by Belgian Alphonse Goossens, (1866-1944) a highly respected botanical artist, lithographed by J. L. Goffart, edited by Edward Step and published in London and New York by Ballantyne, Hanson & Co. for Frederick Warne & Co. The full title of the folio of which this is one is: Hardy bulbous plants Florilegium Harlemense Descriptions and life-size figures in colours of 148 varieties produced under the auspices of the general association of bulb-culturalists of Haarlem (in Holland).

The print is from this folio and the name of it is titled in the upper left corner, Florilegium Harlemense. The print's location in the folio of 148 illustrations is in the upper right corner (Tab. 21) and title of the flower, Lilium speciosum rubrum is recorded in the bottom center.

The botanical print has not been examined out of the frame, which appears to be original, but there does seem to be some toning to the paper consistent with the age of a print 115 years old. The art was framed by L. A. Bigelow, Inc.which was a well-known art dealer in Boston, established in the 1890s and operating for six decades dealing in art and the framing of art. As seen on the label (see photo) there is no phone number printed for the business. Therefore, I am dating the framing to about 100 years ago. This vintage chromolithograph will add an elegance to any room and would look exquisite above a vase of an identical red lily. It would also look terrific hanging with its companion piece of a different lily, in an identical frame, which can be found elsewhere in my Items Iconic Gallery shop on Etsy.

Framed, the art measures 21 3/4 H x 16 3/4 W inches; the image only is 13 1/2 H x 10 W in.