Group of Six Insects.
[Amsterdam, Johannes Sluyter, 1774].
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.
Group of six copper engravings with fine original colour, showing the metamorphosis of butterflies, moths and other flying insects. Framed and glazed, overall size: 31.6cm by 46.7cm.
Landwehr, Dutch Books with Colour Plates, 105.
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