Who painted Study of Butterfly and Insects?

Study of Butterfly and Insects was painted by Jan van Kessel the Elder in c. 1655.

Where can I see Study of Butterfly and Insects?

Study of Butterfly and Insects is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Study of Butterfly and Insects?

Study of Butterfly and Insects is associated with Baroque.

Can I buy a print of Study of Butterfly and Insects?

Museum-quality prints of Study of Butterfly and Insects are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

Study of Butterfly and Insects

Jan van Kessel the Elder , 1655

Study of Butterfly and Insects is an oil painting by the Baroque artist Jan van Kessel the Elder. It dates from 1655 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Technique & Style

Executed in oil on copper in 1655, the work is painted on a small rectangular sheet of copper support measuring 11 cm by 14.

Executed in oil on copper in 1655, the work is painted on a small rectangular sheet of copper support measuring 11 cm by 14.8 cm.

Handling is meticulous, with fine brushwork that renders minute anatomical details of butterflies and insects, including delicate wing venation and textured bodies, against a softly modulated dark ground. The composition arranges the creatures in delicate balance, exploiting the reflective surface of the copper to enhance luminosity and depth in the iridescent wings and translucent elytra.

Stylistically, the painting belongs to the Flemish still-life tradition, integrating scientific observation with decorative elegance, and is characteristic of Jan van Kessel the Elder’s small-scale cabinet pieces.

History & Provenance

The painting titled Study of Butterfly and Insects was created in 1655 by Jan van Kessel the Elder as an oil on copper work. It entered the collection of the Count of Joigny in France, as documented in the 1966 Brian Koetser Gallery exhibition catalogue. The work subsequently passed to John Dimick of Chevy Chase, Maryland, who gifted it to the National Gallery of Art in 1983.

The National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., now holds the piece, where it remains on public display.

The painting is held by the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. Its accession number is not specified in the sources. It was previously in the collection of the Comte de Joigny in France before appearing in the 1966 exhibition at the Brian Koetser Gallery in London. The work entered the National Gallery of Art collection through a gift from John Dimick of Chevy Chase, Maryland, in 1983.

It was exhibited in a 1966 show at the Brian Koetser Gallery, which featured Dutch and Flemish paintings from the Count of Joigny's collection.

Overview

Created around 1655, this oil on copper work by Jan van Kessel the Elder depicts a naturalistic study of a branch laden with small yellow berries, surrounded by a variety of insects. The composition focuses on the intricate details of butterflies, beetles, a caterpillar and other small creatures, presenting a close observation of flora and fauna.

Subject & Meaning

The painting serves as a scientific illustration as well as an artistic rendering, emphasizing the diversity of insect life that frequents a fruit‑bearing branch. By arranging the creatures in a lifelike setting, the work reflects the 17th‑century interest in cataloguing nature and the delicate balance between plant and animal worlds.

Butterflies and other insects, Jan van Kessel the Elder

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Artist & collection

Artist

Jan van Kessel the Elder

Jan van Kessel the Elder or Jan van Kessel (I) (baptized 5 April 1626, Antwerp – 17 April 1679, Antwerp) was a Flemish painter active in Antwerp in the mid-17th century.