Insects
by HENSTENBURGH, Herman, Gouache and varnish on vellum, 317 x 245 mm
Henstenburgh executed vellums of a scientific character, such as this sheet in which he closely studies the phenomenon of the metamorphosis of insects, which particularly fascinated Dutch entomologists and was a pretext for reflections on divine creation.
This sheet depicts cocoons, caterpillars, flies, and butterflies.