Butterfly Journal — Johnson's 1896 Cyclopedia Lepidoptera Art

Carry the spirit of Victorian natural history — when Johnson's Universal Cyclopedia illustrated the wonder of North American butterflies and moths in exquisite chromolithographic detail, and the golden age of scientific illustration gave the Monarch, the Tiger Swallowtail, and the Great Peacock Moth the precise and beautiful portraits they deserved.

The front cover presents the complete Butterflies and Moths of North America plate from Johnson's 1896 Universal Cyclopedia — over 30 meticulously rendered species including the Monarch (Anosia plexippus), Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio rutulus), Mourning Cloak (Vanessa antiopa), and the Great Peacock Moth, each identified by common and Latin names in the chromolithographic tradition that made Victorian field guides treasured references for naturalists and collectors alike. The back cover assembles four complementary lepidoptera plates from the same cyclopedia: nymphalids, swallowtails, blues, and nocturnal moths — a comprehensive visual reference spanning the full diversity of North American lepidoptera as documented by Victorian science.

Product Details:

• Format: Hardcover journal with matte laminated full-wrap cover
• Pages: 150 lined pages (75 sheets) with perforations for easy removal
• Binding: Casewrap sewn binding that lays flat and flexes for comfortable writing
• Dimensions: 5.5 × 8.5 inches, lightweight and portable
• Weight: 0.1 kg
• Cover: Johnson's 1896 Cyclopedia lepidoptera plates full-wrap with matte finish; small 0.5"×0.5" production barcode on back

Perfect For:

• Lepidopterists and entomology enthusiasts documenting butterfly and moth observations
• Victorian natural history collectors celebrating 1890s scientific illustration traditions
• Field naturalists recording species sightings with authentic cyclopedia-inspired aesthetics
• Gift for anyone captivated by the delicate beauty and extraordinary diversity of North American lepidoptera
• Science educators teaching North American butterfly identification and Victorian taxonomy
• Writers and creatives inspired by the precision, color, and ambition of Victorian chromolithographic natural history

Discover the art and science behind Victorian chromolithographic illustration in our blog post: Chromolithography: The Art of Victorian Scientific Illustration.