Butterflies (Pl. CCCXCIX) by Gerrit Wartenaar Lambertz

Butterflies (Pl. CCCXCIX) by Gerrit Wartenaar Lambertz

1782

Hand Colored Engraving

Arranged in an orderly scientific display, this meticulous 18th-century natural history plate outlines thirteen individual exotic moth and butterfly specimens labeled alphabetically from A to N. The stark composition positions the insects in a balanced grid against a clean, unadorned ivory background to best accentuate variations in wing geometry and patterning. Key specimens include the prominent center figure A, a large hawk-moth displaying heavily detailed wavy brown and cream-banded wings, and figure G, showcasing a creamy yellow field offset by a solid, dark border on its lower wings, alongside lower examples like figure L depicting an insect viewed from an abdominal perspective to expose its underside morphology. Originally drawn by the painter Gerrit Wartenaar Lambertz, this exquisite copperplate engraving with delicate hand-coloring was published in Amsterdam by S.J. Baalde circa 1779–1782 for the entomological series De uitlandsche kapellen.

This plate stems from De uitlandsche kapellen voorkomende in de drie waereld-deelen Asia, Africa en America, an ambitious multi-volume publishing venture initiated by the Dutch merchant and dedicated lepidopterist Pieter Cramer. When Cramer passed away midway through production, the extensive project was completed by his collaborator, the naturalist Caspar Stoll, making it the very first color-illustrated book on exotic butterflies arranged systematically according to the Linnaean classification system. This specific work holds historical value because it marks a watershed moment in global entomology, accurately cataloging over 1,650 tropical species brought back to Europe's elite "cabinets of curiosities" via expanding international trade routes. By prioritizing lifelike scale and strict anatomical clarity over environmental background, it provided an essential primary reference that laid the foundational groundwork for modern evolutionary taxonomy.

Dimensions: H 11 ½” x 9” W

Condition: In excellent condition