Wild animals in art

[Paul mabbott]

Animals are seldom shown in art other than domesticated ones or as items of the chase.
Invertebrates are seldom seen. While I'm not a great one for going into churches - much prefer looking around for insects in the graveyards - glad that I went into the one at Earls Barton, Northants. This is a very old church (Saxon in parts) and has a 15C choirscreen which was repainted in the 1930s - clearly by someone who liked nature:


But does anyone recognise any of the butterflies?

[Lance Morgan]

Meadow Brown, tortoishell, large white, peacock

[Tursiops2]

Swallowtail, bottom left. Wonder if they were painting from life, or from a book/photos?
Nice

[Paul mabbott]

I can convince myself of a peacock and several whites perhaps
Would they have had books in the 1930s? Certainly not colour photos and I hope they didn't pin out live specimens while copying!

I'll look further into this and see who actually painted it ....

[Tursiops2]

Is that big dark one, top right, a Camberwell Beauty ? With an Emperor moth a little way below it? Thinking on it, it's most likely painted from a collection, local museum perhaps.
T2

[wildflower]

Its lovely and so unique..someone must have put a lot of work in making it..

[Paul mabbott]

Originally Posted by Tursiops2

Is that big dark one, top right, a Camberwell Beauty ? With an Emperor moth a little way below it? Thinking on it, it's most likely painted from a collection, local museum perhaps.
T2

This is in the wilds of Northamptonshire - I'm not sure that there is a museum. Although, of course, it's not unlikely that the lord of the manor or the vicar were butterfly collectors in tose times .... I really must find out more about this ...

It would certainly make churches more attractive to the likes of me if there were more of this sort of thing!

[jdoherty]

I can't recognise any of the butterflies but I do appreciate the artwork. An interesting Northern Ireland church fact by the way. Mrs. Cecil Frances Alexander of Derry, Ireland (1823-1895) the wife of the Archbishop of Armagh wrote the hymn 'All things Bright and Beautiful".

John

[Gill Catton]

Oh that's really lovely, I'd have been thrilled to have come across that!

For those who like wildlife in art I can highly recommend this place Nature In Art museum and art gallery

You may even get the opportunity to meet your fav wildlife artist here as they have a 'guest artist Gallery' where you can see them at work