About this sheet
Early English Butterflies – Large White, Peacock & Red Admiral, Albin 1720
Description
This original early 18th-century set of four hand-colored engraved plates comes from A Natural History of English Insects, written, illustrated, engraved, and exactly colored by Eleazar Albin and published in London in 1720. The plates are numbered I–IV and illustrate several well-known English butterflies shown alongside their host plants, caterpillars, and chrysalides, presenting the full life cycle with clarity and precision.
The insects depicted include the Large White, Small White, and Green-veined White butterflies, as well as the Peacock, Red Admiral, and Small Tortoiseshell. These species are among the most recognizable butterflies of Britain and were already well known in Albin’s time, making these plates both scientifically important and visually engaging.
Albin’s work occupies a pivotal place in the history of entomological illustration. Unlike later publications where coloring was applied by anonymous workshop hands, these plates were colored under the author’s direct supervision, as stated in the original publication. The compositions balance scientific observation with decorative elegance, with insects arranged against softly toned backgrounds and carefully rendered botanical elements.
The restrained palette, fine engraving, and spacious layout give the plates a timeless quality that works equally well in traditional collections and contemporary interiors. Offered together as four consecutive plates, this set preserves the original order of the book and provides a cohesive visual grouping, ideal for collectors of early natural history, British scientific illustration, or interior designers seeking authentic early 18th-century works.
Condition
Light overall toning consistent with early 18th-century paper. Hand coloring remains clear and well defined. Minor scattered spotting and gentle age wear. Overall very good condition for prints of this age.
Framing tips
These plates frame beautifully in dark wood or ebonized frames with wide off-white or warm cream mats. For a modern interior, slim black frames with generous margins create a refined, gallery-style presentation.
Technique: Copper engraving with original hand coloring
Maker: Eleazar Albin, London, 1720
