MARIAN ELLIS ROWAN (1848-1922)

细节

MARIAN ELLIS ROWAN (1848-1922)

Twenty-six butterflies, in three columns, belonging to the PAPILIONIDAE e.g. Atrophaneura polydorus (23,24), Papilio albinus (1,2, 13-16), P .aegeus (3,4, 11,12, ?19,10), PIERIDAE e.g. Delias aruna (21,22), NYMPHALIDAE subfamily ACRAEINAE e.g. Acraea meyeri (5-10), and NYMPHALIDAE subfamily LIMENITINAE e.g. Phaedyma (probably Ph. sherpherdi, 25,26)

signed 'Ellis Rowan'; watercolour with bodycolour on blue-grey paper
21.7/8 x 15in. (55.6 x 38.1cm.)

拍品专文

This last butterfly, together with an unidentified nymphalid (17,18), is thought to be an example of "mimicry", being similar in appearance to the chemically-protected genus Tellervo (not illustrated). Delias aruna, a lowland species, is one of the few "jezebels" included. As the great majority of New Guinea Delias are montane insects, and many have extraordinarily bright and curious patterns, this perhaps suggests that most of Ellis Rowan's butterfly paintings were made in Madang.