Illustrated botanical study of the Common Peony with Single Flowers by Pierre-Joseph Redouté

Single-Flowered Common Peony (Paeonia Officinalis Mas) is an illustration that captures the splendor of this peony variety with its delicate flowers and elegant leaves. Pierre-Joseph Redouté, the famous 18th-century botanical illustrator, demonstrates his talent for capturing the grace and beauty of plants through his engravings.

In the publication dated 1827 from which the plate is taken, the detail of this illustration is given as follows:
The common peony (Poeonia officinalis L.) was divided by the ancients into two species which they named, for some unknown reason, female peony and male peony. Linnaeus considered these two species as mere varieties. Later they were separated again, and the name Poeonia corallina was given to the male peony of the ancients, while the name Poeonia officinalis was reserved for the female peony. Both of these plants are native to the mountainous and wooded regions of Europe. They are cultivated in the open ground with the greatest ease, and they adapt to all types of terrain and exposure.