Melliferis infesti Apibus sunt Papiliones - J. Stradanus 1596

📜 Description
Original etching conceived by J. Stradanus (Jan van der Straet) and published in Antwerp by Philippe Galle in 1596, taken from the celebrated series “Venationes Ferarum, Avium, Piscium, Pugnae Bestiariorum (...)”. The scene depicts the nocturnal activity of beekeepers attempting to attract and destroy butterflies harmful to beehives by means of illuminated lanterns placed throughout the fields. The composition documents an agricultural and apicultural practice genuinely employed during the early modern period, transforming a rural working scene into a complex visual narrative of technical and naturalistic character. The narrative structure is articulated through several figures distributed across the landscape: in the foreground appear beekeepers carrying sticks and lanterns, while the background opens onto buildings, cultivated plots, and rural pathways that reinforce the depth of the perspective. The Latin inscription engraved below — “Melliferis infesti Apibus sunt Papiliones. Excitat insecti genus hoc Apiarius...” — describes the damage caused to bees by nocturnal insects and explains the method used to attract them toward the flame. The work combines observation of rural life, encyclopedic interest, and theatrical spatial construction, all central characteristics of Stradanus’ engraved production. This antique print also represents an important iconographic testimony to late sixteenth-century scientific and rural culture.

📚 Historical-Artistic Note
Johannes Stradanus, the Latinized name of the Flemish artist Jan van der Straet (1523–1605), was among the most significant Northern European artists active in Italy during the sixteenth century. Trained in Antwerp under Pieter Aertsen before relocating to Venice and later Florence, he collaborated extensively within the Medici cultural milieu, developing a highly narrative and dynamic visual language. The series “Venationes Ferarum, Avium, Piscium, Pugnae Bestiariorum (...)”, published in Antwerp by Philippe Galle between 1578 and the end of the sixteenth century, is considered one of the most celebrated engraved cycles dedicated to hunting, rural techniques, and the relationship between man and nature. The plates, engraved by various artists after Stradanus’ inventions, combine documentary intent, spectacular composition, and scientific curiosity, fully reflecting the encyclopedic culture of the late Renaissance.

🧾 Technical Sheet
Type: original etching
Author / Manufacture: J. Stradanus (Jan van der Straet)
Publisher / Printer: Philippe Galle, Antwerp
Place: Antwerp
Period: 1596
Material: paper
Technique: etching
Subject / Title: “Melliferis infesti Apibus sunt Papiliones. Excitat insecti genus hoc Apiarius...”
Dimensions: sheet 24 cm x 33 cm; plate 20 cm x 26 cm
Marks / Signatures / Inscriptions: Latin engraved inscription in the lower section of the plate
Notes: from “Venationes Ferarum, Avium, Piscium Pugnae Bestiariorum (...)”; blank verso

🔍 Condition Report
Print professionally restored. Overall in excellent condition. The engraved image remains sharp and clearly legible, with well-preserved details and an intact composition. Paper well preserved with minor age-related traces consistent with the period.