The Toilet (La Toilette), from Essai de Papilloneries Humaines par Saint Aubin 1751 - 1765

This is "The Toilet" created by Charles Germain de Saint-Aubin, a copperplate print portraying a scene of butterflies in a boudoir. Here, butterflies stand in for humans at their toilette, or dressing table. The butterfly, from ancient Greece to the present, is an enduring symbol of metamorphosis, the soul, and even frivolity. Note how Saint-Aubin plays with this symbolism, placing these delicate creatures in a setting of human vanity. Consider the visual echoes of the psyche myth, where Psyche, represented with butterfly wings, undergoes trials to reunite with her love, Eros. The butterflies here, however, seem more concerned with mirrors and cosmetics, a transformation of a different sort. The butterfly's dance with self-image is a powerful, recurring motif, reminding us of our own fragile, ever-changing identities. The image pulls us into a complex, subconscious dialogue about beauty, transformation, and the enduring power of symbols across time.