Butterfly

  • Butterfly, For Dell (1897)

    Butterfly, For Dell (1897)

    Albert Bierstadt (American, 1830–1902)

    Delicate wings unfurl in precise detail, each vein and iridescent scale rendered with scientific clarity. The butterfly perches mid-motion, its fragile form captured in watercolor’s translucent layers. A fleeting subject made permanent through meticulous observation.

  • De uitlandsche kapellen voorkomende in de drie waereld-deelen, Asia, Africa en America pl45 (1779-1782)

    De uitlandsche kapellen voorkomende in de drie waereld-deelen, Asia, Africa en America pl45 (1779-1782)

    Pieter Cramer (Dutch, 1721–1776)

    Delicate wings unfurl across the page—tropical butterflies from Asia, Africa, and America, frozen mid-flight. Each engraving traces intricate patterns, a silent flutter of scales and veins preserved on paper. The specimens seem poised to take off, their exotic forms bridging continents through ink and precision.