Clifden Nonpareil (*Catocala Fraxini*) Hand-colored engraving by Jacob L'Admiral (1774)

A Nocturnal Spectacle in Blue and Gold

This original 1774 hand-colored engraving by Jacob L’Admiral depicts the extraordinary Clifden Nonpareil (Catocala fraxini) in its dramatic life cycle. The adult moth—renowned for its electric blue hindwings banded with black—appears alongside its larval and pupal stages, arranged within a carefully constructed natural setting.

The composition is unusually theatrical. One specimen rests with folded camouflage forewings, while another reveals the luminous blue flash that has made this species one of Europe’s most celebrated moths. Earthy tones of rock and foliage contrast magnificently with the saturated ultramarine and golden accents.

Here, Enlightenment science meets visual drama.

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Visual and Aesthetic Analysis

This plate stands out within L’Admiral’s corpus for its chromatic intensity. The vibrant blue hindwings create a focal explosion of color against subdued mineral greys and botanical greens. The resting specimen introduces textural realism, while the airborne moth adds movement and elevation.

The engraving line is crisp and confident, allowing the hand-coloring to articulate fine wing veining and the segmented body of the larva with remarkable clarity.

Scientific Context

Catocala fraxini, known as the Clifden Nonpareil, is famed for its concealed hindwing coloration—an evolutionary adaptation used to startle predators. In the eighteenth century, such species fascinated naturalists due to their striking contrast between cryptic forewings and vivid hidden markings.

By presenting larva, chrysalis, and adult in one unified plate, L’Admiral reinforces the Enlightenment emphasis on complete lifecycle documentation and empirical observation.

Condition Report

Printed on original eighteenth-century laid paper with visible chain lines. Strong margins and a sharp impression. The hand-coloring remains vivid and exceptionally well preserved. A prominent watermark with paper mill logo is visible, consistent with high-quality eighteenth-century production. Dated 1774.

Details

• Artist: Jacob L’Admiral
• Work: Metamorphosis studies of insects (1774)
• Subject: Clifden Nonpareil (Catocala fraxini)
• Period: 1774
• Technique: Original hand-colored engraving
• Paper: Original laid paper
• Watermark: Present (paper mill logo)
• Sheet size: approx. 43 × 26 cm