Butterflies Transformations engraving c1849 by H.N.Humphreys.

$120.00

Pretty Butterflies, Caterpillars and Chrysalises hand-coloured lithograph c1860.
Antique print of Pyrgus? Malvarum, Cyclopides Paniscus and Cyclopides Sylvius, on their host plants, Althea officinalis (Marsh Mallow) and Plantago Major (Greater Plantain).

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 c1860.

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.”

There is a small foxing spot at lower right. This wonderfully detailed lithograph is mounted between antique-white ragmat conservation board, and covered with cellophane for protection and presentation. Page size is 285 x 210mm (11.25 x 8.25 inches). External size for framing is 38 x 32cm (15 x 12 1/2 inches).