Plate CCCXXIII

Plate CCCXXIII by Anonymous Artist

C. 1782

Hand Colored Engraving

Six distinct moth specimens labeled A through F are presented in three balanced rows in this hand-colored copperplate engraving (plate CCCXXIII). The layout centers on a large, striking moth shown in both dorsal and ventral perspectives—featuring dark green mottled upperwings over vivid orange-and-black hindwings (Fig. A) paired directly above its cream-and-orange underside view (Fig. B). Flanking this central pair are two corresponding sets of smaller moths showcasing upper and lower wing details: the top row highlights a brown-patterned moth (Fig. C) alongside its mauve-toned counterpart with dark hindwing bars (Fig. D), while the bottom row mirrors these forms with a dark, speckled species (Fig. F) and a dusty rose specimen with black-and-white wing margins (Fig. E). Drawn and engraved by Dutch illustrator Gerrit Wartenaar Lambertz, this original print dates to 1782 and measures approximately 11 1/2 by 9 inches.

This plate comes from Pieter Cramer’s landmark entomological work, De uitlandsche kapellen (The Exotic Butterflies Occurring in the Three Parts of the World: Asia, Africa, and America), published in Amsterdam between 1775 and 1782. Cramer’s masterwork was the first entomological publication to utilize the Linnaean system for exotic butterflies and moths, establishing new scientific nomenclature while celebrating global biodiversity during the height of 18th-century exploration. Illustrated by Lambertz and finished with fine hand coloring, plates from this series remain foundational milestones in scientific illustration, prized for their artistic beauty, historical importance, and contribution to early taxonomic science.

Dimensions: H 11 ½ ” x 9” W

Condition: In excellent condition