Plate CCCXXXIII by Anonymous Artist

Plate CCCXXXIII by Anonymous Artist

C. 1782

Hand Colored Engraving

This hand-colored copperplate engraving, plate CCCXXXIII, depicts eight distinct exotic butterfly species symmetrically arranged and labeled A through H. Anchored by two large swallowtail-style specimens at the center—one featuring a vivid electric blue dorsal view (Fig. A) paired above a subtle silvery-grey underside view (Fig. B)—the composition includes smaller iridescent blue, orange, brown, and speckled species surrounding them. Drawn and engraved by Dutch illustrator Gerrit Wartenaar Lambertz, this original print dates to 1782 and measures 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