Wings of Knowledge: A 19th-Century Study of Butterflies and Insects

19th Century Study of Butterflies and Insects

This finely executed entomological painting presents a carefully arranged study of butterflies and insects, rendered with scientific precision and painterly sensitivity. The composition includes multiple labeled species—such as Papilio atalanta (Red Admiral butterfly), Reduvius personatus (masked hunter bug), and other examples from the orders Lepidoptera, Coleoptera, Hemiptera, and Diptera—set against a softly toned ground reminiscent of historic natural history plates and cabinet studies.

Handwritten taxonomic references within the composition reflect an ongoing fascination with classification, natural history, and empirical observation. A painted date reading 1971 places the work in the 20th century, suggesting a modern revival of traditional scientific illustration. Housed in an ornate, carved frame evocative of earlier academic presentation, the painting bridges historic naturalist traditions with a later, reflective reinterpretation of museum and study culture.

Dimensions:
32.5" L × 1" W × 26.5" H