Large White (*Pieris brassicae*) on Nasturtium (*Tropaeolum majus*) – Original hand-colored engraving by Jacob L’Admiral (1774)

Metamorphosis in the Ornamented Garden

This original 1774 hand-colored engraving by Jacob L’Admiral depicts the Large White butterfly (Pieris brassicae) in its successive stages upon the nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus). The plate integrates larva, chrysalis, and winged adults within a cultivated garden plant celebrated in eighteenth-century ornamental horticulture.

The vivid orange blossoms of the nasturtium dominate the composition, their fluid petals contrasted by the pale, luminous wings of the butterflies. The sinuous stem extends diagonally across the sheet, creating movement and balance while preserving the clarity of scientific observation.

L’Admiral’s approach is both analytical and refined: metamorphosis is documented not as isolated specimen, but as a living process unfolding within decorative plant life.

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Visual and Aesthetic Analysis

The composition achieves harmony through contrast. The saturated orange of the flowers anchors the upper register, while the pale wings introduce lightness and rhythm. The engraved line remains precise, allowing the hand-coloring to articulate botanical texture — from the veined leaves to the soft transparency of the petals.

The arrangement feels spacious and deliberate, with generous white ground enhancing the visual prominence of the subject.

Scientific Context

Pieris brassicae, commonly known as the Large White, was widely observed in European gardens due to its association with cultivated plants. Nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus) served not only as an ornamental species but also as a botanical subject of interest in eighteenth-century natural history.

By illustrating each stage of development directly upon the host plant, L’Admiral reflects the Enlightenment emphasis on ecological relationship and empirical documentation.

Condition Report

Printed on original eighteenth-century laid paper with visible chain lines. A watermark with a clearly defined paper mill logo is present within the sheet, confirming period production. The margins remain fresh and clean. The impression is sharp, and the hand-coloring retains vivid saturation. An exceptionally well-preserved example dated 1774.

Details

• Artist: Jacob L’Admiral
• Work: Metamorphosis studies of insects (1774)
• Subject: Large White (Pieris brassicae) on Nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus)
• Period: 1774
• Technique: Original hand-colored engraving
• Paper: Original laid paper
• Watermark: Present (paper mill logo)
• Sheet size: approx. 43 × 26 cm