Jean-Emile Laboureur, designer

Through a screen of plant tendrils and foliage teeming with snails, spiders, wasps, and butterflies, the solitary figure of an entomologist is visible in a grassy glade. With his back turned to the viewer, he appears completely absorbed in his surroundings. Like this entomologist, artist Jean-Émile Laboureur was fascinated by insects and spent many hours closely examining them.

This idyllic scene understates the level of detail and complexity of the engraving. Laboureur’s technical mastery is evident in his ability to render spatial recession and fine details using varied marks.