Card 6, Calimorpha Hera, from the Butterflies series (N183) issued by Wm. S. Kimball & Co. 1888

This is "Card 6, Calimorpha Hera", a chromolithograph made by Wm. S. Kimball & Co. Here, the figure of a woman is adorned with the wings of a butterfly, and she is given the name of Hera, the Greek goddess of marriage. Note how this fusion embodies themes of transformation and beauty, drawing on classical mythology to elevate the image. Consider, the butterfly has long symbolized the soul and metamorphosis across cultures. From the ancient Greeks, who saw Psyche with butterfly wings, to its presence in funerary art, the butterfly represents the journey of the spirit. Yet, by the late 19th century, figures like this became more common, representing ideas of fantasy, beauty, and an idealised femininity. The butterfly becomes a vessel through which we express deeply ingrained, even subconscious, longings for beauty, immortality, and transformation. Isn’t it fascinating how such symbols persist, resurface, and evolve, engaging us on levels we scarcely comprehend?