Plate LXVI by Anonymous Artist

Plate LXVI by Anonymous Artist

C. 1782

Hand Colored Engraving

This hand-colored copperplate engraving, plate LXVI, displays eight exotic butterfly species meticulously arranged in a balanced, circular composition labeled A through H. The corners feature larger, prominent specimens—including a rich blue-and-black butterfly with translucent wing spots (Fig. C) paired diagonally with its dark underside view showing red basal accents (Fig. D), alongside a brown speckled butterfly (Fig. A) and a bright orange-spotted species (Fig. B). Four smaller, intricately patterned butterflies (Figs. E, F, G, and H) frame the center in a diamond formation. Drawn and engraved by Dutch illustrator Gerrit Wartenaar Lambertz, this original print dates to 1779 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