Pine-Tuft Caterpillar, study for book Concealing Coloration in the Animal Kingdom
Medium
Painting
Classification
Painting
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the heirs of Abbott Handerson Thayer
Accession Number
1950.2.21
Tags
Art Historical Context
Welcome to the Smithsonian American Art Museum, where Gerald H. Thayer's *Pine-Tuft Caterpillar* invites us into the fascinating world of natural camouflage. This meticulous painting, a study for the influential book *Concealing Coloration in the Animal Kingdom*, captures the subtle artistry of a caterpillar blending seamlessly with pine needles. Created by Thayer, whose family ties to artist Abbott Handerson Thayer are honored through the gift from his heirs, the work exemplifies early 20th-century scientific illustration. Thayer's piece emerged from a groundbreaking theory positing that ani...