Butterfly 4

Butterfly 4

J.J.Ernst – Copperplate engraving by J. Juillet

Circa 1890

Copperplate engraving

The wealthy collector and tax official Jean Gigot d’Orcy (1733–1793) commissioned the Augustinian monk and entomologist J.L.F. Engramelle (1734–1814) to provide a detailed description of his extensive butterfly collection and, with the help of naturalist, illustrator, and painter J.J. Ernst, to create a magnificent publication based on this collection. The entire publication took more than 12 years to complete.