French Roses and an Oxeye Daisy (1570)

Jacques Le Moyne de Morgues (1533-1588) was a French artist and cartographer known for his work during the 16th century. He accompanied Rene de Laudonniere's expedition to colonize Florida in 1564, becoming the first European artist to reach the region. Despite losing most of his work during a Spanish attack, he redrew his sketches from memory upon his return to France, providing some of the earliest visual evidence of 16th-century Florida. Later, he fled to London due to the Wars of Religion in France, where he created remarkable watercolors of plants, flowers, fruit, and vegetables. His work captivated the Elizabethan court, and he created an album of botanical drawings around 1585 for Lady Mary Sidney, a selection of which is held by the British Museum.