Who painted To studier af en tidselfugl (vanessa cardui l.)?

To studier af en tidselfugl (vanessa cardui l.) was painted by Unknown in 1650.

Where can I see To studier af en tidselfugl (vanessa cardui l.)?

To studier af en tidselfugl (vanessa cardui l.) is held by Statens Museum for Kunst.

Artwork

To studier af en tidselfugl (vanessa cardui l.)

To studier af en tidselfugl (vanessa cardui l.) is an unspecified painting by Unknown. It dates from 1650 and is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst. Created around 1650, this small painted image presents a pair of butterflies mounted on a neutral background.

About this work

Overview

Created around 1650, this small painted image presents a pair of butterflies mounted on a neutral background. The work is attributed to the anonymous artist catalogued as 31389_person and is part of the collection of the Museum of Ethnography. Its format resembles a natural‑history illustration intended for close examination rather than decorative display.

Subject & Meaning

The composition features two specimens of the painted lady butterfly (Vanessa cardui). One specimen shows the typical dark wing with orange and white spots, while the other displays a rarer form with brown wings accented by red and blue markings. By placing the insects side by side, the image highlights variation within a single species, reflecting an early scientific interest in taxonomy.

Technique & Style

The artist employed delicate brushwork to render the intricate patterning of each wing, achieving a crisp contrast against the plain paper support. Fine gradations of pigment convey the iridescent quality of the scales, while the precise rendering of vein structure suggests a methodical, observational approach common to 17th‑century naturalists.

History & Provenance

The piece dates to the mid‑17th century, a period when European scholars increasingly documented flora and fauna. It entered the Museum of Ethnography’s holdings at an unspecified date, where it now serves as an example of early entomological illustration within the museum’s broader ethnographic collection.

Context

During the 1600s, the study of insects gained momentum alongside advances in microscopy and classification. Works such as this one were often used by collectors and scholars to compare morphological traits, contributing to the emerging field of natural history that would later influence Linnaean taxonomy.