Argynnis Butterflies Transformations from Caterpillar & Chrysalis. Humphreys.

by Humphreys, H.N.

Fritillary Butterflies with pink & blue flowers c1849.
Insects. 1. Argynnis Adippe (high brown Fritillary Butterfly), female, 2. underside, 3. Caterpillar, 4. Argynnis Lathonia (Queen of Spain Fritillary Butterfly), 5. underside, 6. Caterpillar, 7. Chrysalis.
Plants. 9. Anchusa officinalis (Alkanet), 10. Onobrychis sativus (Common Sainfoin).

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 artwork surely echos 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.”re 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.”

A very pretty engraving of butterflies - with faint paper rubs and soiling. Page size is 285 x 210mm (11.25 x 8.25 inches).