I use antiquarian books as a source for surfaces on which to paint and draw, either using the pages, endpapers or book cover. The patina of age (or moth-eaten quality) is important to me and a crucial element in selecting a background on which to start a moth picture. Most of the books I use were made by hand, in the days of Queen Victoria, by highly-skilled bookbinders using techniques such as marbling and gold embossing.
They date from an era when there was a keen interest in lepidoptera and collections of moths displayed in mahogany and glass cabinets were popular. I have attempted to make reference to this both in the central, symmetrical depiction of the moth and the way in which the image is framed. The decay and fragility of the book is echoed in the beautiful, delicate form of the moth.
The images on this page show a book cover exterior with one of my moths on it and the reverse on which a previous owner has left his mark/s!