1646
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Two Butterflies, a Wasp, and a Moth is a 1646 ink by Wenceslaus Hollar, a Baroque work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This print shows four insects drawn in black and white. On the left is a butterfly with round white spots on its wings. In the center, a moth with striped, fan-like wings stands tall. Below it, a wasp with a narrow body and long legs crawls on the ground. To the right is another butterfly, its wings patterned with bold black lines. The artist used fine lines to capture tiny details, like the veins in the wings. The insects look almost lifelike, even though they’re drawn without color. Next, look up etching to see how artists like this made prints using acid and metal plates.
Wenceslaus Hollar (Czech: Václav Hollar (Czech pronunciation: ), German: Wenzel Hollar; 23 July 1607 – 25 March 1677) was a Czech engraver, etcher and painter.
See the richer artist page
