Moths and Caterpillars on Oak, Albin Antique Hand-Colored Plate 93, 1720

Moths and caterpillars on two oak sprigs, an original hand colored copper engraving of 1720 from Eleazar Albin's A Natural History of English Insects. The plate has no title caption; the lettering engraved below the image is a dedication: "To Mrs Mary Reade 2.d Daughter of S.r Ja.s Reade of Brocket-hall, Bar.t this Plate is humbly dedicated by Eleazar Albin."

An oak sprig with lobed leaves fills the upper half, with a gray looper caterpillar arched on the twig. A finely patterned cream and gray moth sits at the right, a cream moth with dark spots spreads its wings at the left, and a dark red chrysalis lies at the upper left. A second oak sprig fills the lower half, with a slender twig-like caterpillar on a leaf, a small moth at the left, another at the right and a small chrysalis at the lower right.

No artist's or engraver's credit is lettered on this sheet beyond Albin's own name in the dedication. The number "93" is written by hand in ink at the top right of the sheet; no engraved plate number is visible. The insects are keyed with small engraved letters (a, b, c and so on); no species names are printed.

The sheet is plate 93 of Eleazar Albin's A Natural History of English Insects, published in London in 1720. The title page of the book reads "A NATURAL HISTORY OF ENGLISH INSECTS, Illustrated with a Hundred Copper Plates, Curiously Engraven from the Life: And (for those who desire it) Exactly Colored by the Author ELEAZAR ALBIN, Painter", with the imprint "LONDON: Printed for the Author, and sold by William and John Innys at the West End of St Paul's. MDCCXX." The book thus offered its plates colored by the author for those who desired it. Albin was a painter and naturalist working in London.

Light uneven toning, browner towards the edges. Handling soiling along the bottom, right and top edges. Slight wear at the bottom left corner.

This is an original antique print, not a modern reproduction. This item is sold unframed.