11484 Eleazar Albin (Active 1713–1759) – Studies of Moths and Caterpillars on Rose and Bramble – Hand-coloured engraving (1720)
"To the Rt Honble Henry Bentinck Earl of Portland this plate is humbly Dedicated by Eleazar Albin." This hand-coloured engraving illustrates the developmental stages of two distinct moth species. The upper section features a dark, spiny caterpillar on a thorny rose branch, accompanied by two mature moths with yellow and black patterned wings and a dark brown pupa. The lower section depicts a similar hairy caterpillar feeding on a bramble leaf, shown alongside its pupa and two adult moths with white wings and dotted abdominal markings. This work was published in London as part of A Natural History of English Insects, one of the first major entomological studies to utilize hand-coloured plates. The composition serves as a significant early eighteenth-century scientific record, documenting the specific host plants and morphological transformations of native British Lepidoptera.
Eleazar Albin was an English naturalist and painter who produced some of the most significant early illustrated works on birds and insects in Great Britain. Originally a teacher of watercolours, he applied his artistic skills to natural history, raising many of the insects he illustrated to ensure accuracy in depicting their transformations. His major publications, including A Natural History of English Insects and A Natural History of Birds, were pioneering for their use of life-sized, hand-coloured engravings. Albin was noted for his dedication to empirical observation, often working with his family to produce detailed and vibrant illustrations. His legacy remains vital to the history of entomology for establishing a high standard for scientific illustration during the pre-Linnaean era.
Artist or Maker: Eleazar Albin.
Dimensions: Approximately 29 cm x 23 cm.
Medium: Hand-coloured engraving.
Date: 1720.
Condition Report:
This work is in good condition overall. There may be a few minor imperfections or fox or mottled marks to be expected with age. Please review the images carefully for condition details, and feel free to contact us with any questions or for a comprehensive condition report.
| Värdering | 200 - 300 SEK |
| Köparprovision (inkl. moms) | 24.4% |
| Slagavgift (inkl. moms) | 6 SEK |
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