A Study of Butterflies, Lizards, Beetles, and Other Insects (Primary Title)
Jan van Kessel, Flemish, 1626 - 1679 (Artist)
Jan van Kessel learned to paint flowers and insects
with the accuracy of a scientific naturalist in the studio
of his uncle, Jan Brueghel the Younger, in the 1640s.
Following tradition, he studied specimens from life
and supplemented his observations with printed
publications when necessary. This trio of copper panels
represents a veritable menagerie of exotic insects,
lizards, and spiders, exposing subtle details to the
naked eye that normally could only be seen under
a microscope. In the larger panel, the artist spaced
the specimens in regular intervals, mimicking real
entomological displays in collector’s cabinets from
the period. The two smaller panels reflect a more
naturalistic approach, wherein the capricious behavior
of the creatures occur around a branch of larkspur
and a sprig of gooseberries. In the Christian context of
17th-century Netherlands, paintings of this kind were
appreciated not only for their remarkable naturalism
but also as tributes to God’s wisdom, reflecting the
observation of the first-century Roman philosopher
and naturalist Pliny the Elder that “nature is nowhere
more perfect than in the tiniest animals.”
The Jordan and Thomas A. Saunders III Collection
Some object records are not complete and do not reflect VMFA's full and current knowledge. VMFA makes routine updates as records are reviewed and enhanced.
