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Blue Morpho (Morpho leonte) – Original Hand-Colored Engraving by Pauquet, Antique Print
€260.00
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An original 19th-century hand-colored engraving of Morpho leonte, the striking Blue Morpho butterfly, drawn and engraved by Pauquet under the scientific direction of Hippolyte Lucas.
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Authentic antique prints
Original engravings from the 17th–19th century.
Blue Morpho: Iridescent Depth in 19th-Century Entomological Art
This original 1835 hand-colored copper engraving depicts Morpho leonte, a celebrated Blue Morpho butterfly renowned for its luminous, iridescent wings. The plate forms part of Exotic Butterflies, produced under the scientific direction of Hippolyte Lucas and drawn and engraved by Pauquet.
Presented with museum-like clarity against a clean ground, the specimen becomes both scientific document and decorative icon — a disciplined image of nature designed to preserve structure, symmetry, and chromatic intensity.
— • —
Visual and Aesthetic Analysis
The composition is defined by an extraordinary chromatic architecture: a radiant field of electric blue dissolves into violet transitions near the thorax, framed by deep black margins that heighten contrast and visual tension. Small red accents along the lower wings punctuate the perimeter with controlled intensity, while the pale white spotting at the tips provides a final note of rhythm and balance.
The wings are rendered with measured precision, preserving venation and form without flattening the luminous effect. This combination of restraint and brilliance is characteristic of the finest nineteenth-century entomological plates — images crafted to be read scientifically, yet powerful enough to function as refined wall art in contemporary interiors.
About the Species
Blue Morpho butterflies are renowned for their structural iridescence: their intense blue colour is produced not solely by pigment but by microscopic scale structures that refract light, creating a shifting, almost metallic brilliance.
In the early nineteenth century, such spectacular species embodied the European fascination with “exotic nature.” Their monumental wings and intense chromatic presence made them ideal subjects for engraved publication — at once visually arresting and scientifically significant.
Heritage Stories
This engraving belongs to the remarkable series Exotic Butterflies , published in 1835 under the scientific direction of Hippolyte Lucas — a period when nature was celebrated through monumental illustrated works that combined taxonomy with refined artistic craftsmanship.
Discover the historical context in our editorial feature: Hippolyte Lucas: Scientific Vision and the Golden Age of Exotic Butterflies .
The plate was drawn and engraved by Pauquet, whose refined copperplate technique translated real specimens into enduring images of exceptional clarity: Pauquet: The Engraver Behind the Exotic Butterflies .
Condition Report
Very good antique condition. Fresh and vibrant original hand-coloring with strong engraved impression. Printed on fine original nineteenth-century paper. Minor age toning consistent with 1835 publication. It's increasingly rare to find impressions preserved with such freshness of color and overall integrity.
Details
- Scientific direction: Hippolyte Lucas
- Artist & engraver: Pauquet
- Work: Exotic Butterflies
- Species: Blue Morpho (Morpho leonte)
- Year: 1835
- Technique: Original copper engraving, entirely hand-colored
- Paper: Fine original antique paper
- Sheet size: approx. 24 × 15 cm
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An original 19th-century hand-colored engraving of Morpho leonte, the striking Blue Morpho butterfly, drawn and engraved by Pauquet under the scientific direction of Hippolyte Lucas.