Hyacinthe and Passion Fruit Flower, plate two from Mes Petits Bouquets

Art Historical Context

Charles-Germain de Saint-Aubin’s *Hyacinthe and Passion Fruit Flower* is plate two from the series *Mes Petits Bouquets* (“My Little Bouquets”). This delicate etching on paper captures the graceful form of a hyacinth alongside the intricate tendrils and exotic bloom of a passion fruit flower. Measuring just 23.7 × 17.5 cm for the plate, the work exemplifies the intimate scale often favored in 18th-century printmaking, inviting close viewing and appreciation of fine botanical detail. Etching allowed Saint-Aubin to translate the fragile textures of petals and leaves into crisp, reproducible lines on paper. As a print, the piece could reach a wider audience than a unique drawing, reflecting the period’s growing interest in natural history and decorative arts. The Art Institute of Chicago’s impression preserves the artist’s careful observation of contrasting floral forms—one familiar and upright, the other exotic and climbing. Visitors can enjoy how the modest sheet (27.8 × 20 cm) balances scientific precision with ornamental charm, qualities that made such botanical etchings popular in both private albums and educational collections of the era.