A 5 layer print of the ‘Souvenir de la Malmaison’ Bourbon rose cultivar. First introduced by Jean Béluze in 1843 it was named after Joséphine de Beauharnais’ rose garden at the Cháteau de Malmaison. It is a climbing variety of the bourbon rose prized for its beautiful if very delicate blooms.
 
This plate was originally selected by D. Bois, assistant to the chair of culture at the Paris Museum of Natural History, for volume 3 of the 4 volume collection: Favourite Flowers of Garden & Greenhouse written by Edward Step and with cultural directions edited by Mr. W. Watson F.R.H.S (at the time assistant curator of Kew gardens) in 1896. 
Sadly the information of who created the plate was not available.
 
The original image has been, thanks to the open source resources of the biodiversity heritage library, found, digitally reconditioned, reprinted by hand using modern screen printing techniques, with a new graphic addition hand gilded in 24kt Italian Gold Leaf.  The hope of this piece is that we do not forget these works of beauty growing dusty somewhere on a lonely shelf.
 
“The earth laughs in flowers.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson