Items Similar to Wings of Elegance: A Victorian Exploration of British Butterfly Splendour, 1890
Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 6
Wings of Elegance: A Victorian Exploration of British Butterfly Splendour, 1890
About the Item
Three original antique hand-coloured prints of Butterflies. They are the Painted Lady, Scarce Painted Lady and Purple Emperor.
Here is a more detailed description of each one based on the context of "A History of British Butterflies" by Morris, and offer a general description along with what makes them interesting:
1. **Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui)**: The Painted Lady is a highly migratory butterfly, known for its remarkable long-distance flights from Africa to Europe, including the British Isles, each year. It has orange-brown wings with black and white spots on the forewings and a series of blue spots on the hindwings. What makes the Painted Lady particularly fascinating is its ability to navigate across continents, showcasing an extraordinary feat of endurance and navigation for an insect. This butterfly is a symbol of change and adaptability, as its appearance in Britain can vary greatly from year to year depending on migratory patterns and conditions.
2. **Scarce Painted Lady (Vanessa virginiensis)**: Often confused with the Painted Lady, the Scarce Painted Lady, also known as the American Lady, is less common in the British Isles. It can be distinguished by its smaller size and the two large eyespots on the underside of the hindwings, as opposed to the four smaller spots found in the Painted Lady. Its presence in Britain is sporadic, making any sighting significant. The Scarce Painted Lady's migrations and occasional appearances add to the allure and mystery for butterfly enthusiasts and researchers alike.
3. **Purple Emperor (Apatura iris)**: The Purple Emperor is one of Britain's most spectacular butterflies, sought after by naturalists for its beauty and elusive nature. Males have a distinctive iridescent purple sheen on their black wings, which is only visible from certain angles, while females are larger and lack the purple coloration, featuring more prominent white and brown markings. These butterflies are primarily found in woodland areas where their larvae feed on the leaves of willow trees. What makes the Purple Emperor particularly interesting is its behavior; males are known to be territorial and are often seen at the tops of trees, coming down to the ground rarely, except to feed on sap and other sources. Their preference for sipping on salty puddles and even animal dung adds an intriguing aspect to their otherwise majestic appearance.
Each of these species contributes uniquely to the biodiversity and fascination of British butterflies. The Painted Lady's migratory journey is a remarkable natural phenomenon, the Scarce Painted Lady's sporadic appearances in Britain highlight the dynamic and changing nature of butterfly populations, and the Purple Emperor captivates with its elusive behavior and stunning appearance, making it a prized sighting for any naturalist.
- Dimensions:Height: 10.01 in (25.4 cm)Width: 6.82 in (17.3 cm)Depth: 0 in (0.02 mm)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1890
- Condition:Condition: Good given age, general age-related toning. Some small spots.. Please study scan carefully.
- Seller Location:Langweer, NL
- Reference Number:
About the Seller
5.0
Platinum Seller
These expertly vetted sellers are 1stDibs' most experienced sellers and are rated highest by our customers.
Established in 2009
1stDibs seller since 2017
1,919 sales on 1stDibs
Typical response time: <1 hour
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Ships From: Langweer, Netherlands
- Return PolicyA return for this item may be initiated within 14 days of delivery.
More From This SellerView All
- Evolutions of Elegance: A Victorian Trio of British Butterflies, 1890Located in Langweer, NLThree original hand-colored plates from the sixth edition of 'A History of British Butterflies' by Morris, which date back to 1890. A closer look at each of the species depicted: ...Category
Antique 1890s Prints
MaterialsPaper
- Winged Elegance: A Fritillary Collection from Morris's 1890 British ButterfliesLocated in Langweer, NLThe butterflies depicted in these plates, the Greasy Fritillary, Glanville Fritillary, and Pearl-Bordered Fritillary, are all members of the Fritillary subgroup, which is part of the...Category
Antique 1890s Prints
MaterialsPaper
- Whispers of Wings: A Butterfly Triptych Collage, 1890Located in Langweer, NLThe butterflies presented in these hand-colored plates from the 1890 edition of 'A History of British Butterflies' by Morris include: 1. **Large Meadow Brown (likely Maniola jurtina...Category
Antique 1890s Prints
MaterialsPaper
- Metamorphosis in Motion: A Victorian Glimpse of British Butterflies, 1890Located in Langweer, NLThe prints are from "A History of British Butterflies" by Morris, which are quite collectible and historically significant. A description of the three butterfly species in these orig...Category
Antique 1890s Prints
MaterialsPaper
- Triptych of Lepidoptera Elegance: Hand-Coloured Butterflies Published in 1890Located in Langweer, NLGiven the historical significance and the artistic presentation of these illustrations, an alternative fitting title for the combined image could be "Vintage Lepidoptera Elegance: Ha...Category
Antique 1890s Prints
MaterialsPaper
- British Elegance in Flight: The Hairstreaks and Duke of Burgundy, 1890Located in Langweer, NLThe butterflies are notable species in British lepidoptery, and here’s a brief overview of each: **Black Hairstreak (Satyrium pruni):** The Black Hairstreak is a small, elusive bu...Category
Antique 1890s Prints
MaterialsPaper
You May Also Like
- Captain Cook's Exploration of Tahiti 18th C. Hand-Colored Map by BellinBy Jacques-Nicolas BellinLocated in Alamo, CAThis beautiful 18th century hand-colored copper plate engraved map is entitled "Carte de l'Isle de Taiti, par le Lieutenant J. Cook" was created by Jacques Nicolas Bellin and publish...Category
Antique Mid-18th Century French Maps
MaterialsPaper
- Victorian 19thC. British Lithograph of "Horse Racing" Reverse Glass Matte C.1875Located in Incline Village, NVWonderful polychromed lithograph under glass with reverse glass hand painted gold gilt rectangular double lined border, along with a hand painted black matte; unique; I have not seen...Category
Antique 1870s English Victorian Prints
MaterialsGlass, Paper
- Victorian 19th C. British Lithograph of "the Races" Reverse Glass Matte Ca. 1875Located in Incline Village, NVWonderful polychromed lithograph under glass with reverse glass hand painted gold gilt rectangular double lined border, along with a hand painted black matte; unique; I have not seen...Category
Antique 1870s English Victorian Prints
MaterialsGlass, Paper
- Original Antique Print of Coatis, C.1890Located in St Annes, LancashireGreat image of coatis Unframed. It gives you the option of perhaps making a set up using your own choice of frames. Chromolithograph after the original artwork by P.J Smit...Category
Antique 1890s English Folk Art Prints
MaterialsPaper
- Butterflies, Imperial Folio, Incunabula of Lithography, ScarceBy Brodtmann, K.J.A.Located in Norwich, GBLandmark stone lithograph of large size and issued in the ‘Incunabula’ period of stone lithography prior to 1820. Print on fine Ziegler paper. Extremely rare. Hand colored stone lithograph by Carl Joseph Brodtmann from his extremely rare series: Naturhistorische Bilder Gallerie aus dem Thierreiche Lindau, Brodtmann [1816]. Reference Winkler 105. Brodtmann is considered a pioneer in the art of lithography employing techniques for "texture" that are quite similar to that of an aquatint. He produced his lithographs in the post-Linnaean 'Age of Enlightenment’ as book illustrations and sets of natural history prints, as “Naturhistorische Bilder Gallerie aus dem Thierreiche”, with the more expensive sets being hand colored. Natural history specimens...Category
Antique 1810s Swiss Prints
MaterialsPaper
- Original Antique Print of Butterflies, 1847, UnframedLocated in St Annes, LancashireGreat image of butterflies. Unframed. It gives you the option of perhaps making a set up using your own choice of frames. Lithograph after Cpt. brown with original hand color. Pub...Category
Antique 1840s English Folk Art Prints
MaterialsPaper
