BARILLET, Jean-Pierre (1824-1873) and F. LESEMANN. Les pensées. Histoire, culture, multiplication, emploi.Paris: J. Rothschild, 1869.

The cultivation of pansies, illustrated with numerous chromolithographs.200 copies printed. Barillet’s and Lesemann’s monograph on the best available varieties of pansies was overseen and published by Joseph Rothschild for the Société Botanique de France. The pansies were all new varieties developed by Lesemann, head gardener at Hietzing near Vienna and noted pansy cultivator. Barillet, the director of gardens for the city of Paris, prepared the text covering various aspects of the flower, from its etymology and history to its cultivation and use as ornamentation in parks. The text is based on Lesemann’s Bemerkungen zu den vorliegenden Abbildungen der Viola tricolor(Vienna, c.1859). Nissen BB1 76; Stafleu and Cowan 20212.

Folio (343 x 268mm). Wood-engraved vignette on title and tail-pieces, 25 chromolithographs of pansies printed chine collé and mounted on card, each preceded by two pages of explanatory text (plates slightly browned and spotted). Contemporary black quarter morocco over marbled boards.