Moths and Butterflies by W.F. Kirby

Moths and Butterflies by W.F. Kirby

C. 1882

Hand Colored Lithograph

This hand-colored lithograph, plate numbered 59, displays twelve distinct moth and butterfly species systematically numbered 1 through 12, arranged dynamically around a central botanical branch labeled A. The composition highlights a emerald-green moth at the top left (Fig. 6), an eye-spotted moth at top center (Fig. 8), a pinkish-white moth (Fig. 5), a delicate white-spotted moth perching on the upper stem (Fig. 4), and a large charcoal-grey moth (Fig. 3). Anchoring the lower section are a boldly patterned black-and-yellow tiger moth (Fig. 11), a scalloped white specimen (Fig. 10), a silver-grey moth (Fig. 1), and a small green caterpillar clinging to a leaf (Fig. 12a) directly beneath its adult form (Fig. 12b). Authored by prominent entomologist William Forsell Kirby, this original scientific print dates to 1882 and measures 10 3/4 by 8 1/2 inches.

This plate was published in W. F. Kirby's popular 19th-century reference work, European Butterflies and Moths (a revised English adaptation of the famous German treatise Schmetterlingsbuch by Julius Hoffmann). Kirby, an esteemed British entomologist who served as an assistant at the Natural History Museum in London, was instrumental in translating complex taxonomic science into accessible, visually rich volumes for students and collector enthusiasts alike. Works from this publication are historically significant as fine examples of Victorian lithography and natural history publishing, bridging rigorous empirical classification with elegant visual presentation during the late 19th-century boom in natural sciences education.

Dimensions: H 10 ⅜” x 8 ½” W

Condition: Slight foxing