Bluebottle Swallowtail Exotic Butterflies (Papilio sarpedon, Papilio bathycles) – Antique Hand-Colored Engraving(1835)

Bluebottle Swallowtails: Turquoise Wings of Asian Papilio

This original 1835 hand-colored copper engraving depicts two remarkable Asian swallowtail butterflies: the Common Bluebottle (Papilio sarpedon) and the Spotted Bluebottle (Papilio bathycles). The plate forms part of the celebrated work Exotic Butterflies, produced under the scientific direction of Hippolyte Lucas and drawn and engraved by Pauquet.

Presented in a refined vertical composition against a clean ground, the two specimens appear almost like a carefully arranged natural history display. Their luminous turquoise bands unfold across deep black wings with a clarity and elegance that reflect the refined visual language of nineteenth-century entomological illustration.

Beyond its scientific importance, the engraving also possesses a vivid decorative quality. The contrast between cool blue-green colour and velvety dark wings gives the plate a strong visual rhythm, making it especially appealing today as antique butterfly wall art for interiors shaped by natural history, colour, and historical refinement.

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Visual and Aesthetic Analysis

The upper butterfly, Papilio sarpedon, reveals the characteristic elegance of the Bluebottle group: pale turquoise bands stretch across the forewings and continue into the hindwings, where smaller blue markings create a lively ornamental rhythm. The overall effect is one of precision, contrast, and quiet brilliance.

Below, Papilio bathycles presents a richer and slightly more varied composition, with broad blue-green fields framed by dark margins and accompanied by yellow spotting near the forewings. Together, the two butterflies create a compelling dialogue between similarity and variation, highlighting the extraordinary visual richness of tropical Papilio species.

About the Species

Species of the genus Papilio were among the most admired butterflies within nineteenth-century natural history collections. Their elegant forms, large wings, and vivid coloration made them especially prized for both scientific study and aesthetic appreciation.

Illustrated publications such as Lucas’s Exotic Butterflies allowed European scholars and collectors to observe and compare species from distant tropical regions. Engraved plates like this one served not only as scientific records but also as enduring works of natural history art.

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 the 1835 publication. Examples in such well-presed condition are now uncommon, especially with this level of color vibrancy and detail.

Details

• Scientific direction: Hippolyte Lucas
• Artist & engraver: Pauquet
• Work: Exotic Butterflies
• Species: Bluebottle Swallowtails (Papilio sarpedon, Papilio bathycles)
• Historical names on plate: Papilio sarpedon, Papilio bathycles
• Year: 1835
• Technique: Original copper engraving, entirely hand-colored
• Paper: Original 19th-century laid paper
• Watermark: None present
• Sheet size: approx. 24 × 15 cm