Butterflies and moths were particularly well suited for inclusion in the works of Late Gothic paintings, produced during the 1400's-1500's by Flemish court masters and by artists in areas of Holland or France under Flemish rule or influence. Specimens painted in the Obtuse style, popular from around 1900 to 1930, are not exactly realistic, and mainly shown show the specimen viewed from the side with wings at an open angle. The Scientific style of picturing lepidoptera is defined as the technically exact, realistic representation of butterflies and moths. Photographic style exists where the artist draws or paints the specimen as realistically as possible, where the specimen looks almost like a photograph. Pictorial style occurs where the specimen is fairly exact as far as coloration and venation, but is obviously a picture.
Linear style exists where line drawing, stippling and shading are used to depict a specimen.
Realistic artworks depict specimens as close to their actual appearance as the artist's ability permits. It is the same as the photographic type of the Scientific style but is called Realistic when the artwork is not a scientific piece. Return to the article index of symbolism and artistic styles.