British Butterflies (Pl. 21) by Henry Noel Humphreys

British Butterflies (Pl. 21) by Henry Noel Humphreys

1853

Hand Colored Lithograph

Offering another beautifully structured developmental study from a volume published in 1853, this delicate 19th-century natural history illustration outlines the metamorphic cycle of a single butterfly species under the heading 21. The vertical composition isolates an adult specimen perched on a small branch at the top to display its finely patterned brown-and-orange underwings, while a single open-winged butterfly rests in the center to highlight its soft tawny-orange upper wings bordered by muted brown. Spaced neatly at the bottom of the plate are its early life stages, rendering a slender, segmented caterpillar crawling along a branch alongside a suspended, pale chrysalis. While the definitive series was originally introduced in 1841, this specific hand-finished lithograph originates from a later 1853 reissue of British Butterflies and Their Transformations, incorporating plates drawn by the celebrated artist Henry Noel Humphreys with text by the preeminent English entomologist John Obadiah Westwood.

This work stems from a milestone period in 19th-century natural history publishing, marking a highly successful collaboration between Humphreys' artistic flair and Westwood's rigorous scientific expertise. John Obadiah Westwood was a preeminent British entomologist and archaeologist who later became the Hope Professor of Zoology at Oxford, revered for his immense contributions to insect taxonomy. Unlike earlier works that isolated specimens in stiff, sterile rows, this plate is historically important because it helped pioneer the ecological format—showing insects dynamically interacting with their specific host plants. This aesthetic and educational approach fundamentally changed how the public visualized biology, transforming scientific documentation into a widely sought-after art form during the Victorian era.

Dimensions: H 10” x 6 ½” W

Condition: Slightly toned with age