Frankfurt am Main, 1592. Small oblong folio (18.0 x 27.0 cm). Single plate, finely and beautifully hand-coloured.

A fine plate of this very rare work which comprises four parts with 48 plates in all. All plates are very uncommon, if not rare. This plate illustrates a swallowtail "Nil mihi tenebris si nox, si nubila, claudor, soli me pando, sol mihi solus amor", other insects, several tulips, plums, pears, etc. This work is generally renowned for its finely executed entomological illustrations. Joris (Georgius) Hoefnagel (1542-1601) produced the Archetypa during his 'Frankfurt period' which was between 1591 and 1594. "The Archetypa were engraved as a reproduction of a collection of models and served in turn as a pattern book for other artists" (quote from Archetypa Studiaque Patris... Nature, Poetry and Science in Art around 1600, by Thea Vignau-Wilberg, Staatliche Graphische Sammlung München, 1994). This work was published uncoloured. The colouring is therefore always later and may vary in quality. A weak, vertical crease and some minor creasing; a few, very short tears to the lower edge, and some soiling, mainly to the lower right margin; otherwise a fine, strong, unmarked, accurately coloured print. Hollstein IX, 17-64; Horn-Schenkling, 10472; Nissen ZBI, 1954.