Claude Aubriet

• Illustration — Two butterflies, by Claude Aubriet Aubriet was born in Châlons-en-Champagne or in Moncetz. He was a botanical illustrator at the Jardin du Roi in Paris. There Joseph Pitton de Tournefort (1656–1708) noticed his work and commissioned him as illustrator of his 1694 Elemens de Botanique. From 1700 to 1702 he accompanied Tournefort and Andreas von Gundelsheimer on an expedition to the Middle East. There he made drawings of historical sites and the region's flora. After his return to Paris, Aubriet continued his work with the botanists at the Jardin du Roi, contributing to Les Vélins du Roi. In 1707 Aubriet succeeded Jean Joubert (1643–1707) as the royal botanical painter. He retired in 1735, and was succeeded by Françoise Basseporte (1701–1780), a student of his and a former collaborator. He died in Paris. Botanist Michel Adanson named the genus Aubrieta in his honour.

Aubriet illustrated two books which were landmarks in the history of botany: • Joseph Pitton de Tournefort, Institutiones rei herbariae See for example volume 2 of the third edition (with additions by Antoine de Jussieu) of the Institutiones. Paris. Imprimerie Royale: 1719 • Sébastien Vaillant,. Leyde and Amsterdam. Jean & Herman Verbeek and Balthazar Lakeman: 1727. We also have a number of collections of his drawings: • Recueil de plantes, fleurs, fruits, oiseaux, insectes et coquillages, etc. peint en miniature sur vélin (Collection of plants, flowers, fruits, birds, insects and shellfish, etc., painted in miniature on vellum) • Papillons plantes et fleurs (Butterflies plants and flowers) • Plantes peintes à la gouache (Plants painted in gouache) • Recueil d'oiseaux (Collection of birds) • Collection d'aquarelles, 7 p. • Plantes peintes en miniature.

Claude Aubriet is recorded as botanical illustrator, painter, naturalist and botanist.