Plate 9: Meadow Brown, Gatekeeper, Clouded Yellow, and Bath White Butterflies

Joris Hoefnagel

National Gallery of Art

The image shows four butterflies drawn within a large oval on a light background. The top two butterflies are in shades of brown and are positioned side by side with their wings closed. The butterfly in the bottom left has wings spread open displaying patterns in beige and brown with yellow accents, while the one on the bottom right holds its wings closed and is predominantly yellow with hints of brown and pink. The color palette includes earthy tones of brown, yellow, pink, and beige. The butterflies are placed within the oval, with two near the top and two at the bottom, providing balance to the composition.