Five Butterflies (1646)

"Five Butterflies" (1646) is a work by Wenceslaus Hollar. The catalogue places it in Plants & Animals. The format is landscape. Plants & Animals in brief: Images of plants and animals are valued both for the care of their observation and for their decorative appeal. Naturalists and artists often worked together, especially on voyages and in published surveys of flora and fauna. About the period around 1646: In Japan the Edo period began in 1603, and in China the Qing dynasty took power in 1644, both bringing new patrons and styles. In the Dutch Republic, a prosperous middle-class market supported landscapes, still lifes, portraits, and scenes of daily life painted at a modest scale for the home.

On onlly.art "Five Butterflies" is sold as a digital download (Digital JPEG + PDF files, 300 DPI). The files are delivered by email after payment, so nothing is shipped: you print locally, choosing the paper, size, and frame yourself. A landscape format suits wide, low wall spaces such as the stretch above a bed, mantel, or sideboard. Before printing, compare the proportions of the file with your frame so that nothing important is cropped. Hang the print away from direct sunlight, which over the years can fade any printed colour. Screens and printers render colour differently, so a small test print is a sensible way to check tones before committing to a large size. Matte and fine-art papers reduce glare in bright rooms, while glossy papers give stronger contrast and deeper blacks.

Czech, 1607–1677

If you like the visual language of Wenceslaus Hollar, explore more works by the same artist in our collection.