Wings of Discovery – Set of 6

This six-print series reflects Jonathan Charles’ fascination with the age of discovery, when science and craftsmanship were inseparable. Inspired by 19th-century natural history illustration, the butterflies recall the precision and quiet authority of Darwinian-era entomology, presented against black grounds with scholarly white notation. Printed onto hand-applied silver leaf, the wings take on a subtle luminosity and shifting iridescence, animating the images as light moves across the surface. Dark, weighty octagonal frames lend architectural presence, grounding the delicacy of the subject. Together, the series transforms scientific illustration into luminous decorative design, honoring historical inquiry through material richness and refined contemporary expression.