Sheet of Studies with Five Butterflies, a Wasp, and Two Flies

Pieter Withoos (1654/55-1692), watercolour, heightened with white, c. 1680-1692

Drawings of butterflies like this sheet by Pieter Withoos of Amersfoort are devoid of any scientific pretensions. The artist may not have even known the names of the mounted specimens he was representing. He was more interested in creating a beautiful composition and alternating contrasting coloured insects, such as the blue and yellow-orange butterflies in this drawing.

  • Artwork typedrawing, aquarel
  • Object numberRP-T-1900-A-4433
  • Dimensionsheight 222 mm x width 333 mm
  • Physical characteristicspenseel en waterverf in kleuren, met dekkende waterverf en zilveren inkt, over sporen van grafiet