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Studies of Insects
About the Artwork
In the 17th century, an interest in flora and fauna, both local and exotic, in the Netherlands led to vast collections of insects, plants, and animals among academics and amateurs. Artists such as Johannes Bronckhorst became specialists at recording these collections in paint, to be kept in portfolios and shown to visitors. The grouping of insects on this sheet suggest that Bronckhorst had access to a varied collection, and include a cicada, a cereal-leaf beetle, a harlequin ladybird, a spiny orb-weaver spider, two Asian longhorn beetles, a red rhinoceros beetle, a rosemary beetle, and a stick insect. With great attention to detail, Bronckhorst may have selected this particular assembly with no other intent than to create a balanced and colorful composition.
Inscriptions
In graphite on verso: J. Bronckhorst; In graphite on verso: J. Bronckhorst; In graphite on verso: 94; In graphite on verso: 55; In ink on verso: Collector's stamp, BA or RA (circled); In ink on recto: J.B. fec:
Quick Overview
- Artist
- Johannes Bronckhorst (Netherlands, 1648–1727)
- Date
- c. 1665–1727
- Medium
- watercolor, opaque watercolor, and gum arabic with brown ink framing lines
- Dimensions
- Sheet: 20.7 x 31.4 cm (8 1/8 x 12 3/8 in.)
- Type
- Drawing
- Classification
- Drawing
- Department
- Drawings
- Credit line
- Dudley P. Allen Fund
- Accession no.
- 2022.9
Provenance
Collection I.Q. van Regteren Altena (1899-1980), The Netherlands, by descent Private collection, The Netherlands December 10, 2014: (Christie’s, Amsterdam, Netherlands) 2014-2022: (Mireille Mosler, Ltd., New York, NY) March 7, 2022-: The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
More by Johannes Bronckhorst in museum collections
Data retrieved from the Cleveland Museum of Art on October 8, 2026. The museum may have updated its record since.
Open-access museum record · AT-00011305
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