Gene Jarvis: The Malachite Butterfly

Artist: Gene Jarvis
1921 - 1990
Nationality: American
Artwork Year: 1978
Image Size: 9.5 by 9 inches
Overall Size: 12.75 by 12.5 inches
Medium: Pen and Ink on Hot Press Illustration Board

Butterflies belong to the order Lepidoptera, which comes from two Greek words, lepidos and Pteron, meaning scaly wings. Displaying a mind-boggling array of different wing patterns, butterflies can be found throughout the globe in a variety of climates from chilly mountain tops to dry, inhospitable deserts.

Many butterflies begin their lives in cold regions then migrate great distances to spend winters in warm climates. Their life spans range from a few weeks to nearly a year. Perhaps the most popular group of all insects, butterflies have extremely complex life cycles. These fragile creatures begin life as a fertilized egg attached to a plant. Four to five days after the egg has been laid, the caterpillar inside the egg gnaws its way out of the shell. The caterpillar then proceeds to devour the plant. Within a week, the caterpillar has eaten so much that it becomes too large for its own skin! The skin splits open and the caterpillar crawls out intact with a newly-formed skin. This process is repeated three to five times. The final time the skin splits, a butterfly emerges!

The stubby, many-legged, voracious leaf-eater has been transformed into a graceful, nectar-sipping winged beauty.

This artwork was originally published on the Fleetwood® First Day Cover for the Jamaica 20¢ Malachite Butterfly stamp issued April 17, 1978.

Artwork Copyright © 1978 Unicover Corporation. All Rights Reserved under United States and international copyright laws. You may not reproduce, distribute, transmit, or otherwise exploit the Artwork in any way. Images of the Artwork may be watermarked and/or digitally watermarked. Any sale of the physical original does not include or convey the Copyright or any right comprised in the copyright.

Our Stock Number (SKU): XB05449

US$ Price: $950.00

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