Rupsen en vlinders op gebladerte, waarvan een rups hangend aan een draad 1710 - 1774

This etching of caterpillars and butterflies on foliage was made by Jacob l'Admiral in the 18th century. The artist most likely used a metal plate, coated with a waxy ground, onto which he scratched his design. The plate would then have been submerged in acid, which bit into the exposed lines. As you can see, the etching process is able to capture immense detail, lending a scientific quality to the print. The artist was likely fascinated by the natural world and the process of metamorphosis itself. This etching would have been part of a larger series, documenting the natural world around him. Although paper is itself an everyday material, the labor required for drawing, etching and printing elevated the image into the sphere of fine art. By focusing on the material process, we can see how traditional distinctions between science, craft and fine art begin to blur.