Caterpillars Possibly 1705 - 1771

This black chalk drawing called Caterpillars was created by an anonymous artist. The image depicts the life cycle of a butterfly on a plant, from caterpillar to pupa to winged adult. Such close observation of nature, meticulously rendered, flourished in the context of early scientific institutions. Think of the rise of natural history museums and botanical gardens in the 17th and 18th centuries. These organizations fostered a new sense of empirical study, one in which the artist played a key role. This drawing might have been commissioned by a wealthy patron of science. The level of detail suggests that it was intended for study, perhaps as an aid to understanding the natural world. We can appreciate this drawing not only for its aesthetic qualities but also as a document of a specific historical moment. The artist's careful rendering provides insight into the cultural values and scientific interests of the time. As historians, we can look to period sources to understand the importance of this piece as a product of artistic and scientific institutions.