Bladeren met rupsen en vlinders 1710 - 1774

Jacob l'Admiral created this print, 'Bladeren met rupsen en vlinders', with etching. It depicts leaves, caterpillars, and butterflies. Prints like this one were part of a wider culture of scientific observation that emerged in the Netherlands in the 18th century. This interest in natural history was driven by both intellectual curiosity and economic factors, as the Dutch sought to catalog and exploit the resources of their global empire. What is interesting here is how Dutch institutions influenced the making of the artwork. Botanical gardens and scientific societies provided spaces for study, while wealthy patrons commissioned artists like l'Admiral to create detailed images for scientific publications. Such images, which were often circulated among a learned elite, helped to shape European understanding of the natural world. Historians of science and art can study prints like this one to better understand the complex interplay between art, science, and commerce in the early modern period. The image serves as a reminder of the social conditions that shape artistic production.