British Butterflies (Pl. 70) by Henry Noel Humphreys

British Butterflies (70) by Henry Noel Humphreys

Tracking the comprehensive lifecycle of a single butterfly species from a volume published in 1853, this spare and elegant scientific study illustrates various biological stages under the heading 70. The vertical composition features an intricately spotted gray adult perched on a twig at the top, a pair of open-winged specimens in the center—one showcasing pale silvery-blue wings with dark borders and the other a deep, patterned charcoal gray—and their early development stages, depicting a vibrant green-and-yellow striped caterpillar alongside a dormant brown chrysalis at the bottom. While the groundbreaking series was originally released in 1841, this specific hand-finished lithograph originates from a later 1853 reissue of British Butterflies and Their Transformations, combining 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