Antique lithograph of Butterflies, Caterpillars, Chrysalises, Host Plants. c1860
by Humphreys, H.N.
Butterfly antique print of lifecycle transformation.
Meliaea Artemis (Glanville Fritillary Butterfly), under-side, Caterpillar, Chrysalis. Melitaea Artemis (greasy Fritillary Butterfly), underside, Caterpillar, Chrysalis. Melitaea Athalia (pearl-bordered Melitaea Butterfly), underside, Caterpillar, Chrysalis. Melitaea Pyronia (Athalia), under-side... on Veronica Chamaedrys (Speedwell), Scabiosa succisa (Devil’s-bit Seabious), Calluna vulgaris (Heath), and Plantago lanceolata (Ribwort).
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.”
Size approx. 285 x 210mm (11.25 x 8.25 inches). Slight rub at right of page and top left corner of page slightly bent.
Stock Number: apHNH8Price: $85.00