When Pierre Jean François Turpin was born in France in 1775 as the son of an impoverished artist, nothing pointed to his successful career. But the late 18th century was a time of new beginnings and great explorers and discoverers. It offered people like Turpin opportunities they had never had before. After studying art at the École des Beaux-Arts in Vire, he joined the French army and became a soldier. His first stop was Haiti. There he met Alexandre Poiteau, who was a gardener at the Muséum d'Histoire Naturelle in Paris. Poiteau taught Turpin botany and Turpin was enthralled. He quickly developed a knack for botany and together the two men explored the flora of Haiti. They created a herbarium of over 1200 plants. Now Turpin was able to put his great talent to work: drawing.
Pierre Turpin made detailed illustrations of the collected plants. These served as the basis for further research after the men returned to France. However, Turpin did not last long there. He wanted to make exciting discoveries and set out for Hispaniola and Tortuga and for further travels. In the USA, he met Alexander von Humboldt, with whom he later worked. He created over 900 images for Humboldt's American travel work. After working for the army again in Haiti - this time as a pharmacist - he settled in France and worked as a botanist, gardener and illustrator. In the process, the self-taught artist continued to educate himself. He did his own research, theorized and made his own discoveries. Thus, he contributed quite a bit to cell theory and the systematics of plants, especially freshwater algae.
Even during his lifetime, Turpin achieved great fame with his drawings. Thus, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe became aware of him and asked him to make a drawing of a primordial plant for him. Goethe had developed the idea of an original plant from which all other plants could be derived during a trip to Italy. Turpin was therefore asked to draw a plant that did not exist. He mastered this task with flying colors. Turpin's watercolors and drawings appeared in numerous books, including "Plantes Equinoxales" by Alexander von Humboldt, "Flora Brasiliae Meridionalis" by Augustin Saint-Hilaire and "Icones selectae plantarum" by Jules Paul Benjamin Delessert. He also worked on book projects with his old friend and patron Poiteau. Turpin taught his gifted son Pierre to draw and was heartbroken when he died suddenly at age 18. He cherished his son's last painting, an amaryllis, throughout his life and honored it with an inscription. The illustrations Turpin made during his life are still among the most beautiful botanical watercolors in the world and are popular as art prints.
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.jpg "The Lemon Tree, engraved by Dubois by Pierre Jean Francois Turpin")
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.jpg "Common oregano, Origanum vulgare, with flower, leaf, stalk and seed (Illustration from La Flore Medicale) by Pierre Jean Francois Turpin")
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 botanical plate c1820 - (MeisterDrucke-264786).jpg "Grape Vine (Vitis Vinifera) botanical plate by Pierre Jean Francois Turpin")
 botanical plate c1820 - (MeisterDrucke-264786).jpg)
_Henry_Louis_Duhamel_du_Monceau_botanical_plate_b_-_(MeisterDrucke-1112723).jpg "Strawberry Tree (Arbutus unedo), botanical plate by Pierre Jean Francois Turpin by Pierre Jean Francois Turpin")
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.jpg "European peony, Paeonia officinalis, with flower, leaf and outline of flower parts (Illustration from La Flore Medicale) by Pierre Jean Francois Turpin")
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.jpg "Flax, Linum Sativum by Pierre Jean Francois Turpin")
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.jpg "Garden Parsley, Petroselinum crispum, with Flower, Leaf, Stalk, Root, and Seed by Pierre Jean Francois Turpin")
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.jpg "Black Pepper (from")
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.jpg "Common Polypod - Polypody fern, Polypodium vulgare, with leaf, seed and root. Handcoloured stipple copperplate engraving from Chaumeton, Poiret and Chamberet")
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.jpg "Verbena or Sacred Herb, Venus")
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.jpg "Lycopod officinal or grass with clubs - Common club moss, Lycopodium clavatum by Pierre Jean Francois Turpin")
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 - (MeisterDrucke-197609).jpg "Camomile (reproduction of a plate from")
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.jpg "Sage officinale - Common sage, Salvia officinalis, with flower, leaf, stalk, and seed by Pierre Jean Francois Turpin")
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.jpg "Patience dock, Rumex patientia, with flower, stalk, leaves, seed and leaf outline (Illustration from La Flore Medicale) by Pierre Jean Francois Turpin")
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.jpg "Prune - Plum or Plum Tree, Prunus domestica, with Fruit, Leaf, Blossom, Branch and Ripe Fruit in Section. Handcoloured Stipple Copperplate Engraving by Lambert Junior from a Drawing by Pierre Jean-Francois Turpin from Chaumeton, Poiret and Chamberet")
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.jpg "Cabbage Flower, Brassica oleracea. Handcoloured stipple copperplate engraving from Chaumeton, Poiret et Chamberet")
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.jpg "Apple \"Pomme d")
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.jpg "Orpin - Common houseleek, Sedum majus by Pierre Jean Francois Turpin")
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.jpg "Botanical: black pepper. Handcoloured stipple copperplate engraving by Lambert from a drawing by Pierre Jean-Francois Turpin from Chaumeton, Poiret et Chamberet")
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.jpg "Vine - Grape vine, Vitis vinifera, with fruit, leaf, tendril and stem by Pierre Jean Francois Turpin")
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.jpg "Common Milkwort (from")
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.jpg "The Banana Tree, from")
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.jpg "Rice, Oryza Sativa by Pierre Jean Francois Turpin")
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.jpg "German Iris, Iris Germanica by Pierre Jean Francois Turpin")
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.jpg "Mercurial (from")
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.jpg "Apple \"Belle du Havre\", botanical plate by Pierre Jean Francois Turpin by Pierre Jean Francois Turpin")
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.jpg "Peach Tree, Amygdalus persica (from La Flore Medicale) by Pierre Jean Francois Turpin")
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.jpg "Barley, Hordeum vulgare, showing stalk, leaf and seed spike (Illustration from La Flore Medicale) by Pierre Jean Francois Turpin")
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.jpg "Pumpkin, Cucurbita pepo. Handcoloured stipple copperplate engraving from Chaumeton, Poiret et Chamberet")
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.jpg "German Medlar (from")
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.jpg "Nutmeg and Mace (from")
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.jpg "Plum")
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.jpg "Crocus - Saffron crocus, Crocus sativus, showing flower, leaf, stem, bulb and stigma by Pierre Jean Francois Turpin")
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.jpg "Noble Cane - Sugar Cane by Pierre Jean Francois Turpin")
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_with_leaf_flower_-_(MeisterDrucke-1001984).jpg "Castor oil plant, Ricinus communis, with leaf, flower, stalk, and seed by Pierre Jean Francois Turpin")
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.jpg "Ipecacuanha, Psychotria Emetica by Pierre Jean Francois Turpin")
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.jpg "Phoenicean Juniper (from")
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.jpg "Common Stinging Nettle, Urtica Dioica by Pierre Jean Francois Turpin")
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_des_bois_-_Wood_sorrel_Oxalis_acetosella_with_flowe_-_(MeisterDrucke-1023592).jpg "Wood sorrel, Oxalis acetosella, with flower, leaf, stalk, seed and root (Illustration from La Flore Medicale) by Pierre Jean Francois Turpin")
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.jpg "Coltsfoot - Tussilago farfara, with flower, leaf, stem and root by Pierre Jean Francois Turpin")
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.jpg "Olive Tree, Olea europaea, with Leaf, Branch, Fruit and Seed by Pierre Jean Francois Turpin")
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.jpg "Spurge Flax by Pierre Jean Francois Turpin")
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.jpg "Gummy ferule or galbanum - Galbanum, Ferula gummosa, showing flowers, leaves and seeds by Pierre Jean Francois Turpin")
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.jpg "Pear \"Belle de Bruxelles\" by Pierre Jean Francois Turpin")
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.jpg "Black mustard or black seneve - Mustard, Sinapis nigra by Pierre Jean Francois Turpin")
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.jpg "Virginia Snakeroot by Pierre Jean Francois Turpin")
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 - (MeisterDrucke-156765).jpg "Date tree and fruit, early nineteenth century by Pierre Jean Francois Turpin")
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.jpg "Licorice or Liquorice, Glycyrrhiza glabra by Pierre Jean Francois Turpin")
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.jpg "Vanilla - Vanilla orchid, Epidendron vanilla, with flower, leaf, seedpod. Handcoloured stipple copperplate engraving by Lambert Junior from a drawing by Pierre Jean-Francois Turpin from Chaumeton, Poiret and Chamberet")
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.jpg "White or Silver Willow, White Wicker - White willow tree, Salix alba, with leaf, flower, male and female catkins, fruit and seed by Pierre Jean Francois Turpin")
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.jpg "Tea, Camellia Sinensis, Showing Leaf, Fruit and Flower. Handcoloured Stipple Copperplate Engraving by Lambert Junior from a Drawing by Pierre Jean-Francois Turpin from Chaumeton, Poiret and Chamberet")
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.jpg "White sassafras tree, Sassafras albidum, with flower, leaf, fruit and seed by Pierre Jean Francois Turpin")
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.jpg "Galega by Pierre Jean Francois Turpin")
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.jpg "Poison Henbane, Hyoscyamus vulgaris, Flower, Leaf and Seed by Pierre Jean Francois Turpin")
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.jpg "Apple")
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.jpg "Chicory Plant and Flower, Cichorium Intybus by Pierre Jean Francois Turpin")
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.jpg "Wild Rhubarb - Rhapontic or False Rhubarb by Pierre Jean Francois Turpin")
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_-_Potato_Solanum_tuberosum_with_flower_leaf_stalk_and_fruit_Hand_-_(MeisterDrucke-1003111).jpg "Potato, Solanum tuberosum (from La Flore Medicale) by Pierre Jean Francois Turpin")
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.jpg "Large branch or large cycas - Queen sago, Cycas circinalis, showing leaf, seed and trunk by Pierre Jean Francois Turpin")
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.jpg "Rue des jardins or Rue fetide - Rue or herb of grace, Ruta graveolens, showing flower, leaf, stalk, seed and outline by Pierre Jean Francois Turpin")
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.jpg "Salsepareille or Mountain Granon, Spiny Bindweed, Spiny Liset - Rough bindweed or sarsaparille, Smilax aspera, with flower, stem, tendril, leaf and seed by Pierre Jean Francois Turpin")
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.jpg "Plum")
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.jpg "Apple")
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.jpg "Yellow Iris, Iris Palustris Lutea by Pierre Jean Francois Turpin")
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.jpg "Curled Mint (from")
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.jpg "Apple")
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.jpg "Melon Flowers - Melon flower, Cucumis melo (from La Flore Medicale) by Pierre Jean Francois Turpin")
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.jpg "Thorn apple, loco weed or jimson weed, Datura stramonium by Pierre Jean Francois Turpin")
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 from Traite des Arbres Fruitier - (MeisterDrucke-297783).jpg "Capron commun (Strawberries), from Traite des Arbres Fruitiers by Pierre Jean Francois Turpin")
 from Traite des Arbres Fruitier - (MeisterDrucke-297783).jpg)
.jpg "Raspberry by Pierre Jean Francois Turpin")
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.jpg "Marsh caltha, marsh population or water marigold - Marsh marigold or marsh crowfoot, Caltha palustris (Ranunculus palustris), with flower, leaf, stalk, root and seed. Handcoloured stipple copperplate engraving by Lambert Junior from a drawing by Pierre Jea by Pierre Jean Francois Turpin")
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.jpg "Madder by Pierre Jean Francois Turpin")
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.jpg "Marigold, Calendula Officinalis by Pierre Jean Francois Turpin")
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.jpg "Terrestrial Ivy - Ground ivy, Hedera terrestris by Pierre Jean Francois Turpin")
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_fruits_Henry_Louis_Duhamel_du_Monceau_botanical_plate_by_P_-_(MeisterDrucke-1123674).jpg "Frangipane Fruits, botanical plate by Pierre Jean Francois Turpin by Pierre Jean Francois Turpin")
_fruits_Henry_Louis_Duhamel_du_Monceau_botanical_plate_by_P_-_(MeisterDrucke-1123674).jpg)
.jpg "Fumitory by Pierre Jean Francois Turpin")
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.jpg "Common Chestnut, Aesculus Hippocastanum by Pierre Jean Francois Turpin")
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_Henry_Louis_Duhamel_du_Monceau_botan_-_(MeisterDrucke-1119551).jpg "Japanese Persimmon or kaki (Diospyros kaki) by Pierre Jean Francois Turpin")
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.jpg "Pomegranate Tree, Punica Granatum by Pierre Jean Francois Turpin")
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.jpg "Lime Tree or Linden Tree by Pierre Jean Francois Turpin")
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.jpg "Holly, Ilex aqualifolium, with prickly leaves and red berries by Pierre Jean Francois Turpin")
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.jpg "Fennel, Foeniculum vulgare from")
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.jpg "Peppermint (from")
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.jpg "Asparagus, Asparagus officinalis from")
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.jpg "Garden or opium poppy, Papaver somniferum, with flower, leaf and seedpod (Illustration from La Flore Medicale) by Pierre Jean Francois Turpin")
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.jpg "Tamarind - Tamarind, Tamarindus indica, showing flower, leaf, and seedpod by Pierre Jean Francois Turpin")
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.jpg "Female Fern or Bracken by Pierre Jean Francois Turpin")
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.jpg "Large Plantain, Plantago Major by Pierre Jean Francois Turpin")
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.jpg "Pulmonary officinale - Lungwort, Pulmonaria officinalis, with flower, leaf, stalk, and leaf in outline. Handcoloured stipple copperplate engraving from Chaumeton, Poiret and Chamberet")
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.jpg "Melon (from")
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.jpg "Sea squill, Drimia maritima, with bulb, leaf, stalk and flower by Pierre Jean Francois Turpin")
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.jpg "Chestnut Branch - Sweet Chestnut Tree by Pierre Jean Francois Turpin")
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.jpg "Radish - Radish, Raphanus sativus by Pierre Jean Francois Turpin")
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.jpg "Wild Vine or Abuta, Cissampelos pareira, with Flower, Leaf, Tendril and Fruit by Pierre Jean Francois Turpin")
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.jpg "Lupin - White lupin, Lupinus sativus by Pierre Jean Francois Turpin")
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.jpg "Aquatic oenanthe or water fennel - Fine-leaved water dropwort, Oenanthe aquatica by Pierre Jean Francois Turpin")
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_mangle_medaille_paletuvier_or_mangle_rivire_-_Dragonsblo_-_(MeisterDrucke-946586).jpg "Dragonsblood or Paduak Tree (Pterocarpus officinalis) by Pierre Jean Francois Turpin")
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.jpg "Large elderberry or black elderberry - Common elder tree, Sambucus nigra by Pierre Jean Francois Turpin")
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.jpg "Bursera Gummifera, engraved by Rebel c.1810-20 by Pierre Jean Francois Turpin")
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.jpg "Lavender, Lavandula spica by Pierre Jean Francois Turpin")
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