Livre de Principes de Fleurs was an undated compilation of flower engravings by Juste Chevillet, based upon designs by Louis Tessier. According to The J. Paul Getty Museum, “Little is known about the life and career of Louis Tessier. The records of the Gobelins tapestry manufactory list him as a flower painter, and he was known for his designs in the Neoclassical style. On two occasions he updated the borders of tapestries, eliminating the Rococo ornament and focusing all attention on the central narrative.” Chevillet is best-known for his engravings for the Comte de Buffon’s Histoire Naturelle; a 36-volume encyclopedia encompassing all that was known of natural history at the time.
In 1974, Sir Geoffrey de Bellaigue demonstrated that Livre de Principes de Fleurs was used as a source of decorations for the marquetry of German cabinetmaker Jean-Henri Riesener.
