Butterfly Archives

Peacock And Peacock Butterfly

Archibald Thorburn (Scottish, 1860–1935)

A peacock fans its iridescent plumage beside a delicate butterfly, their shared name no coincidence. The bird’s jewel-toned feathers mirror the insect’s intricate wings—nature’s artistry in watercolor.
The Butterfly (1866)

George Elgar Hicks (English, 1824–1914)

A delicate butterfly rests on a woman’s finger, its wings trembling. Her gaze lingers, caught between fascination and something deeper—perhaps longing. The moment feels fragile, as if the slightest breath could shatter it.
Insecta Lepidoptera-Rhopalocera Pl 001 (1879-1915)

Frederick DuCane Godman (English, 1834–1919)

Delicate wings unfurl in precise detail—each vein, each spot rendered with scientific clarity. A butterfly’s fleeting beauty, frozen in ink and color, becomes a permanent study of nature’s intricate design.
De uitlandsche kapellen voorkomende in de drie waereld-deelen, Asia, Africa en America pl59 (1779-1782)

Pieter Cramer (Dutch, 1721–1776)

Delicate wings unfurl across the page—tropical butterflies from three continents, each etched with precision. Stripes, spots, and intricate patterns reveal nature’s artistry, frozen in ink. A silent flutter of Asia, Africa, and America preserved on paper.
Foreign butterflies occurring in the three continents Asia, Africa and America Pl.334 (1779-1782)

Pieter Cramer (Dutch, 1721–1776)

Vibrant wings unfold across continents—delicate patterns from Asia, bold hues of Africa, and the exotic shades of America. Each butterfly a tiny traveler, pinned to the page yet alive with color, their silent flight preserved in ink and paper.
De uitlandsche kapellen voorkomende in de drie waereld-deelen, Asia, Africa en America pl04 (1779-1782)

Pieter Cramer (Dutch, 1721–1776)

Delicate wings unfurl across the page—tropical butterflies and moths frozen mid-flight, their intricate patterns etched in fine lines. Each specimen reveals nature’s precision, from veined membranes to speckled borders, inviting closer study of these exotic insects.
Foreign butterflies occurring in the three continents Asia, Africa and America Pl.045 (1779-1782)

Pieter Cramer (Dutch, 1721–1776)

Vibrant wings from three continents—Asia, Africa, America—frozen mid-flight. Each delicate engraving traces the intricate patterns of foreign butterflies, their colors still vivid centuries later. A silent migration preserved on paper.
Exotische schmetterlinge Pl.016 (1888-1892)

Otto Staudinger (German, 1830–1900)

Delicate wings unfurl in precise lines, each vein and pattern etched with scientific clarity. These butterflies hover between specimen and art, their exotic forms preserved in ink. The page hums with silent flight, a meticulous record of fleeting beauty frozen mid-beat.
Playing with butterflies

Alois Hans Schram (Austrian, 1864–1919)

A child reaches toward fluttering wings, fingers brushing delicate color. Laughter hangs in the air as butterflies dance just beyond grasp—a fleeting chase where joy outweighs capture. Sunlight catches on powdered wings and bare feet in the grass.