South African insects
1850
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
1850
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
South African insects is a 1850 by Stephen Briggs Carlill, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.
This drawing shows a close-up of two insects on a light background. The lines are dark and precise, making the bugs look almost three-dimensional. Their wings and legs are carefully detailed, with some shading to show texture. The artist focused on small, delicate features, using lots of tiny lines to build up the form. This method is called cross-hatching. Look up cross-hatching to see how artists create depth with lines.
The drawing illustrates various insects native to South Africa, created by Stephen Briggs Carlill in 1850.
Read the full account in the museum source.
Stephen Briggs Carlill sketched insects in South Africa when most people were too busy hunting or trading to notice the tiny lives at their feet.
See the richer artist pageYour cart is empty
Explore artworks →
