Butterflies
Brett Westwood explores how the delicate, colourful yet exquisitely fragile butterfly has been eulogised through museum collections, works of art and folklore. From 2015
Shards of stained glass falling through sunlight 鈥� the butterfly is an image of beauty. Delicate, colourful yet exquisitely fragile we have painted and eulogised the butterfly from time immemorial.
A 鈥渂utterfly mind鈥� skips from subject to subject... they are modern metaphors for the trivial and light-hearted. Yet we forget that at times some butterflies have been used as menacing creatures.
Their eye-spots, used to deter predators, were interpreted as eyes watching you from hedgerow and meadow to make sure no lewd behaviour happened in the fields. The deep, blood red colour of the red admiral was seen as a sign of Christ鈥檚 crucifixion and therefore a symbol of suffering a death.
The butterfly metamorphoses between body forms, reminding us that our earthly body will one day be transformed.
Butterflies have also been the subject of overwhelming passion. Intense, obsessive collectors have chased them over every continent, even shooting them from the skies with guns and then trembling with overwhelming excitement as they put a blackened, torn creature into their displays. They are souls of the dead flying to heaven or an inspiration for fashion designers, or a symbol of death. Few creatures have had so much laid on their delicate shoulders.
Today, butterflies are symbols of freedom and harmony with nature, the poster insects for a utopia where people and nature are at one.
Original Producer : Sarah Pitt
Archive Producer : Andrew Dawes
Revised Repeat : First Broadcast 大象传媒 Radio 4; 16th June 2015
Last on
![]()
How many of these British butterflies do you recognise?
![]()
From stealing milk to bomb detectors. Read our facts about butterflies!
![]()
The World According to Butterfly
Unfurl your yoga mats and brace your chakras as the Butterfly tells us all about herself.
![]()
Mary Colwell writes about the burden placed on the delicate wings of butterflies.
![]()
The Butterfly Effect
Amanda Roocroft explores the impact of Madame Butterfly in performance and popular culture
![]()
Why Are Things Beautiful?
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss different ideas of beauty.
Clips
-
![]()
The butterfly that was shot from the sky
Duration: 00:41
-
![]()
The 'great, staring eyes' of the peacock butterfly
Duration: 00:45
-
![]()
Red admiral - 'the butterfly from hell'
Duration: 01:24
-
![]()
Meadow brown - little spirit from the underworld
Duration: 01:02
Dr Blanca Huertas
Her role involves maintaining, updating and expanding the collection and promoting its importance by engaging people to use it through loans, scientific research and internships so the collection can remain a national treasure for future generations.
Giovanni Aloi
In 2006, he founded聽, the Journal of Nature in Visual Culture. It is an international reference point for the debate on animals in the arts. He is the author of聽聽and is currently working on two monographs, one on taxidermy in contemporary art and another on plants in contemporary art, both due for publication in 2016.
Matthew Oates
He has been at the National Trust since 1990 and is particularly drawn to people鈥檚 relationships with nature, places and seasons, and increasingly the impact of weather on wildlife.
Peter Marren
He also writes obituaries for , conservation news for , formerly has a column in and is regular contributor to , which includes his famous column of biting wit, Twitcher in the Swamp.
Broadcasts
- Tue 16 Jun 2015 11:00大象传媒 Radio 4
- Mon 22 Jun 2015 21:00大象传媒 Radio 4
- Sun 20 Jun 2021 06:35大象传媒 Radio 4
Natural History Heroes
Scientists celebrate the pioneers who inspired their work and lives.
Natural Histories Comedy
Humorous perspectives on life from the plants and animals in the series.
10 things we got wrong about dinosaurs
Dinosaur myths, misconceptions and mysteries.