(Linz 1811-1872)
"Die Rosen nach der Natur gezeichnet und gemahlet von Leopold Zinnögger mit kurzen botanischen Bestimmung(en) von D. Rössig, Linz den 1ten December (1)828" (Roses drawn and colored after nature accompanied by short botanical explanations by D. Rössig in Linz, 1st December 1828), a bound book with 61 watercolours of roses and their botanical explanations, including "Rosa centifolia – The hundred leafed rose", "Rosa cerea – The simple wax yellow rose", "Rosa Burgundica – the Burgundian rose ", "Rosa virginiam simplex – Die simple Virginian rose", “Vorerinnerung” (Foreword) with the signature of Leopold Zinnögger, two figure studies in pencil, one signed and dated Leopold Zinnögger (1)831, 31 x 19,5 cm, the book 32 x 21 x 3 cm, traces of wear, (BH)

The present sheet is an early work by the Austrian painter Leopold Zinnögger. He painted it at the age of 17. His father had a nursery in Linz, which apparently aroused the young man’s interest for botany. Among other things the young artist studied the book „Die Rosen nach der Natur gezeichnet und colorirt mit kurzen botanischen Bestimmungen begleitet“ (Roses drawn and colored after nature accompanied by short botanical explanations) by D. Rössig. The book was published in 12 parts between 1801 and 1820, was translated into French and was edited by Friedrich Gotthelf in Leipzig with a dedication to Anna Feodorowna, née Duchess of Saxony Coburg-Saalfeld. The plates were etched and hand colored by Luisa von Wagenheim and others. It is not clear how Zinnögger got hold of the book. One copy was kept in the private library of Emperor Francis I. before 1807 (since 1835 in the “Primogenitur-Fideikomiss” Library, since 1921 in the Austrian National Library). The book contains carefully colored plates. It served not only as a collection of views for the artist but also as prototypes for his first drawings and watercolors. It is striking that the young artist depicted the roses mirror-inverted, partly differing in size and extent and sometimes with minor alterations of the spines, leaves and buds. The greatest difference appears in the fruits of the rose on plate 25. There are also some small deviations in the text, which Zinnögger adopted by and large.

It is known that Zinnögger went to Vienna and studied with his friend Johann Baptist Reiter at the Academy of Fine Arts in 1830. They shared a a flat and a studio. Zinnögger studied flower painting until 1832; in 1836 he won the coveted Füger-award with a flower picture executed in gouache, which he also exhibited at the Academy in 1837. In the same year Zinnögger returned to Linz, disappointed because he was not granted a travel-stipend to Holland. He took over the management of his father’s nursery and focused on scientific botany. Together with the botanist Johann Baptist Duftschmid he dedicated himself to plant breeding. He received some success in orchid research and was a drawing teacher at the k.k. Staatsobergymnasium from 1849 to 1862. Later he gave private lessons and ran a photographic institute. He also was the co-founder of the Kunstverein in Upper Austria and from 1851 on participated as a painter and as a photographer regularly in exhibitions. Zinnögger painted more than 320 flower pictures and watercolors. They are characterized by a particularly meticulous scientific precision in execution. The present gouache is an early work of the artist and was executed prior to his time at the Academy. It is thus the first known work in the oeuvre of Zinnögger.