Artwork
South African insects
South African insects is a drawing by Stephen Briggs Carlill. It dates from 1850 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Overview
This drawing, created in 1850 by Stephen Briggs Carlill, depicts various insects native to South Africa.
Subject & Meaning
The work showcases a detailed representation of South African insects, highlighting their forms and textures through precise rendering.
Technique & Style
The artist employed cross-hatching, a method involving layered lines to achieve depth and dimensionality, to meticulously detail the insects' features, such as wings and legs.
Context
The drawing reflects 19th-century scientific illustration practices, where artists used techniques like cross-hatching to accurately document natural history subjects.
Artist & collection
Artist
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.
Taking down the houses on old London Bridge
The Side Door of the Church of Santa Giuliana at Aquila Degli Abruzzi
Untitled
A wood on a sloping bank
A Scotch Loch
Melon, grapes and peaches
Doune Castle, near Stirling, Perthshire
Classical composition
An Egyptian Muleteer
Boy in a cornfield
Rebuilding of the Campanile, St. Mark's, Venice : View of the portico of St. Mark's
Lane Scene