Currency Exchange
Fine lithograph. Butterflies, chrysalises and caterpillars. Humphreys c1849.

Fine lithograph. Butterflies, chrysalises and caterpillars. Humphreys c1849.

by Humphreys, H.N.

Fine hand-coloured antique print of lovely little butterflies: 1-4.Pamphila Comma Butterfly male, female, underside, caterpillar. 5-7.Pamphila Acteon male, female, another specimen. 8-12.Pamphila Linea male, female, underside, caterpillar chrysalis. The plant is Ornithopus perpusillus (common name, Bird's-foot).

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.”

In fine condition except for very faint rubs at right. Page size is 285 x 210mm (11.25 x 8.25 inches).

Stock Number: apHNH41Price: $95.00

Quantity