An expansive and awe-inspiring visual survey celebrating the stunning beauty of butterflies and moths across art, history, science, and culture ‘Tap[s] into the myriad ways in which these marvelous bugs pollinate not only our fragile ecosystems but our imaginations, too.’ – Colossal A BEST ART BOOK OF THE YEAR: Christian Science Monitor Butterflies have enchanted people for thousands of years, capturing human imagination for so long that they are deeply entwined in our culture and history. Butterfly: Exploring the World of Lepidoptera delves into this enduring love for butterflies, moths, and caterpillars, taking readers on a journey across continents and cultures to discover the endless ways artists and image-makers throughout history, from ancient Egypt over 4,000 years ago to the present day, have been inspired by these ethereal insects. Featuring more than 250 entries, each represented with a gorgeous large-scale image, this expansive visual survey spans a wide range of styles and media, including paintings, botanical illustrations, sculptures, nature photography, children’s books, textiles, and jewelry. Cleverly paired to highlight thought-provoking contrasts and similarities between them, regardless of the time period, the images showcase butterflies and moths – from the blue morpho and monarch to the death’s-head hawkmoth – in all stages of their life cycles. The vibrant colors in Eric Carle’s childhood classic The Very Hungry Caterpillar complement the playfulness of a butterfly-filled collage by British Pop Artist Peter Blake, while the shape of the goddess Obsidian Butterfly, carved into stone in fourteenth-century Mexico, matches perfectly that of a falling moth, captured in a beautiful black and white photograph by Japanese artist Chuji Yasui. Artists featured include: María Berrio, Peter Blake, Lee Bontecou, Alexander Calder, Caroline Cheng, Rebecca Coles, Salvador Dalí, Mat Collishaw, Jean Dubuffet, M. C. Escher, Gyoshu Hayami, Sheila Hicks, Damien
...
Read Full Text
