In the case of the Marquise de Grollier, these buttons decorated with botanical motifs, painted on ivory with mother-of-pearl backing, reveal a special side of her output and her enduring passion for flowers. She adapted these cherished motifs to two small-scale circular formats, which in turn disseminated her artistry. These buttons are precious evidence of how she explored painting in various media, both large and small, and they have remained in the family of the Marquise de Grollier to this day.

All the floral species depicted here are identifiable, sometimes appearing together on the same button (cornflowers and narcissus on one of them, for example).

Even if large buttons were worn on frock coats – small ones being reserved instead for sleeves or waistcoats – here we see pictorial quality and delicacy of execution transcending utilitarian function. They were no doubt gifts for people who frequented the “intimate gatherings” held by the Marquise, such as Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun.

The role of the boutonnier was limited to the mounting of the button: his task was to set the glass circles and (on the back) the shanks used for sewing. The care taken in the assembly of these small fashion items, their excellent condition, delicate craftsmanship and composition, and their very number, bear witness in a unique way to their era – a period that revived the taste for the wonders of nature through true expressions of decorative art.