Butterflies Life Cycle antique print. Humphreys lithograph c1849

$125.00

Antique print of Butterflies and their Transformations.

Insects. 1. Pieris Brassicae (Large garden white butterfly, male), 2. female, 3. male, underside, 4. Caterpillar, 5. Chrysalis, 6. Pieris Chariclea (early large garden white butterfly, male), 7. female, underside, 8. Caterpillar 9. Chrysalis.
Plants. 10. Brassica oleracea (Sea Cabbage), 11.Tropaeolum majus, 12.Tropaeolum peregrinum (Nasturtium).

Original  hand-coloured lithograph arranged and illustrated by H.N. Humphreys Esq., with characters and descriptions by J. O. Westwood, Esq. F.L.S. (secretary of the Entomological Society), for British Butterflies and their Transformations published in London c1849.

Humphreys (1810-1879), was a British naturalist, entomologist, illustrator – and numismatist. His presentation of the butterflies with caterpillar and chrysalis, impressed curators at the British Museum, who adopted this method of illustrating the transformation lifecycle of insects. Humphreys lovely engravings surely echo the exquisite medieval manuscripts he studied in Italy when a young man. He wrote: “The study of natural history is the learning of the characters with which the wonderful story of nature is written.. cannot conceive a more pleasing and natural introduction to its general study than entomology, of which I think the division of Lepidoptera.. the most easy and attractive section.  H. N. Humphreys, Esq.”

Page size is 285 x 210mm (11.25 x 8.25 inches).This image was printed slightly off-centre and has slight foxing. It looks beautiful in a decorated mount with pale-green line-washed French matt on upper antique-white board, covered with cellophane for protection and presentation. External measurement for frame is 38 x 33cm (15 x 13 inches).

Cost of print only is $75. Please email me at sales@antiqueprintclub.com if required.