Five butterflies 

Pieter Withoos made this watercolor painting of five butterflies in the late 17th century. Watercolors demand precision. They are made by suspending fine pigment in water, and applied with a brush, layer by layer. What's interesting here is the way Withoos deploys this technique not for the usual portraiture or landscape, but for scientific illustration. He renders each butterfly with meticulous detail, capturing the delicate patterns and textures of their wings. In the 17th century, there was growing interest in the natural world, but not yet photography. Highly skilled artists were needed to record specimens for study. This drove specialization. Withoos found his niche, and while he had the status of an artist, his work was ultimately in service to science. So next time you see an image, consider the labor, skill, and social context required to produce it. All of this contributes to its meaning.