Variétés Nouvelles d'Azalées de l'Inde (New Varieties of Indian Azaleas)

A hand-colored lithograph showcasing hybrid azalea cultivars from Alexander Verschaffelt's horticultural nursery in Ghent, Belgium. The composition displays three flowering specimens—deep pink double blooms in the foreground, pale pink semi-double flowers, and white striped varieties—arranged with naturalistic foliage against a cream ground. The French inscription identifies specific cultivars, including 'Leopoldii' and 'Duc de Brabant,' representing the intensive breeding programs of 19th-century European gardeners. Such botanical illustrations served dual purposes: documenting new plant varieties for nursery catalogs while functioning as artistic commodities for collectors and horticultural societies. Verschaffelt's work exemplifies the precision and aesthetic refinement demanded of commercial seed and plant catalogs during the Victorian era.