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Group of Six Insects with foliage

Creator: Jacob L'Admiral
Offered by: Shapero Gallery

Description
L’ADMIRAL, Jacob.
Group of Six Insects.
[Amsterdam, Johannes Sluyter, 1774].
Group of six copper engravings with fine original colour, showing the metamorphosis of butterflies, moths and other flying insects.

Beautiful delineations of the metamorphoses of butterflies, continuing the fine Dutch tradition of insect illustration begun by Maria Sibylla Merian.

L’Admiral (1700-1770), was a gifted amateur entomologist who had studied insects since the age of ten. A year after his death, his collection of butterflies and other insects was sold in auction. This included the original copper plates from the first edition (1740) of of his work Naauwkeurige Waarneemingen omtrent de Veranderingen van Veele Insekten ... These were augmented by a further eight plates which had been borrowed from L’Admiral by Dr.M Houttuyn, for the butterfly section of his edition of Linnaeus. Thus the 1774 edition was the first complete edition of L’Admiral’s engravings.

In total L’Admiral illustrated seventy metamorphoses on thirty-three etched plates. These engravings show the butterflies, their larvae and food plants. L’Admiral drew and etched all the plates themselves.

Framed and glazed, overall dimensions: 31.6cm by 46.7cm.

More Information

Documentation:	Certificate of Authenticity
Origin:	Netherlands
Period:	18th Century
Materials:	Hand-coloured engraving on paper
Condition:	Good.
Creation Date:	1774
Styles / Movements:	Other
Dealer Reference #:	95069
Incollect Reference #:	508089

Dimensions

W.	12.44 in;	H.	18.39 in;	D.	1.18 in;
W.	31.6 cm;	H.	46.7 cm;	D.	3 cm;

Message from Seller:

Based in the heart of Mayfair in London, we specialise in prints and original works on paper across a broad range of subjects, from antique prints to modern pochoir plates, as well as photographs from vintage photography to modern art photography.