Artwork
The Purple Emperor Butterfly
The Purple Emperor Butterfly is a watercolor work on paper by the Art Nouveau artist Arthur A. Haserick. It dates from 1921 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum. Arthur A.
About this work
The artist focused on the butterfly’s delicate details, like the tiny spots on its wings.
This painting shows a single butterfly resting on a plain, light background. Its wings are mostly dark brown with white and purple markings. The butterfly’s antennae are thin and curved, and its body looks fuzzy.
The artist focused on the butterfly’s delicate details, like the tiny spots on its wings. This piece was made in 1921 using watercolor.
Next, check out the Victoria and Albert Museum to see more art like this.
Overview
Arthur A. Haserick’s 1921 watercolour presents a solitary Purple Emperor butterfly against an unadorned, light-toned backdrop. The composition isolates the insect, allowing the viewer to focus on its form and coloration without distraction from surrounding elements.
Subject & Meaning
The work captures the Purple Emperor (Apatura iris), a species noted for its dark brown wings accented with subtle white and violet hues. By rendering the butterfly in a calm, static pose, the painting emphasizes the creature’s natural elegance and the fleeting quality of its wing patterns.
Technique & Style
Executed in transparent watercolour, Haserick employs fine brushwork to delineate the butterfly’s delicate antennae, the fine fuzz of its thorax, and the minute spotting across the wings. The limited palette of browns, purples, and whites is applied in thin washes that preserve the lightness of the paper background.
History & Provenance
Created in 1921, the piece reflects early‑twentieth‑century interest in naturalistic illustration. While specific ownership records are scarce, the painting is catalogued among Haserick’s known works and has been referenced in collections focusing on scientific and decorative watercolours of the period.
Artist & collection
Artist
Arthur A. Haserick liked to sit very still. At a picnic table or a windowsill, he’d wait until moths and butterflies landed nearby, then slowly sketch their wings before they fluttered off. He painted them lifelike,…
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