Card 34, Pieris Brassicae, from the Butterflies series (N183) issued by Wm. S. Kimball & Co. 1888

This card, number 34 in the Butterflies series, was created by Wm. S. Kimball & Co., revealing a peculiar blend of human and insect. The figure, presumably female, is adorned with butterfly wings, set against a muted green backdrop. Notice the artist’s approach: the composition is rigidly structured, with the figure centered, bisecting the vertical space. The colour palette, though soft, creates a visual tension. The figure's dress is a melange of organic patterns, mimicking butterfly markings. The artist seems interested in the semiotic interplay between nature and artifice. The butterfly, a signifier of transformation and beauty, is grafted onto the human form, challenging fixed categories. The artist uses visual metaphors to explore themes of metamorphosis and identity. This interplay invites us to question the boundaries of representation. Consider how the artist's choices—the symmetrical layout, the restrained colors, and the fusion of human and insect—invite us to think about the instability of meaning and the fluidity of identity, reflecting broader cultural and philosophical currents of the time.