Card 46, Morpho Menelaus, from the Butterflies series (N183) issued by Wm. S. Kimball & Co. 1888

Editor: Here we have "Card 46, Morpho Menelaus," from the Butterflies series, printed in 1888 by Wm. S. Kimball & Co. at the Met. It looks like a chromolithograph, so lovely and delicate. I'm really drawn to the whimsy of the butterfly wings paired with a human form... kind of fairy-like. What's your take on this? Curator: Oh, I'm quite taken by it, too! It's got this turn-of-the-century, Art Nouveau spirit about it. I think this card, and others like it, speaks to the Japonisme craze, this Western fascination with Japanese art and design that was really flourishing then. It is about transformation and the ephemeral beauty of nature but it's trying to capture a deeper connection between humanity and the natural world, don't you think? It wants to flutter in the same colourful meadow, almost literally! Editor: That's fascinating. I see the Japanese influence in the flattened perspective and the focus on a single motif. So, were these cards considered art in their time, or more like advertising? Curator: Good question! A bit of both, perhaps. They were trade cards, distributed to promote tobacco, believe it or not. But the artistry is undeniable, aiming for a kind of everyday beauty, accessible art. These were the Instagram of their day: capturing the eye, inspiring a quick spark of joy! So many collected them, swapped them... and treasured the butterflies within. What does it whisper to *you* today? Editor: For me, it feels like a longing for something magical and ethereal, a reminder to appreciate the delicate beauty all around. Curator: Beautiful. I'll carry *that* fluttering feeling with me today!