Nicolaas Struyk (or Struyck/Struick) was an Amsterdam born Geographer, Mathematician and Astronomer and a pioneer on Statistics (Inleyding tot de algemeene geographie met eenige andere natuur- en sterrekundige verhandelingen (1740) and its successor Vervolg van de beschryving der staartsterren, en nader ontdekkingen omtrent den staat van 't menschelyk geslagt, benevens eenige sterrekundige, aardrijkskundige en andere aanmerkingen (1753). Asides of this he was an amateur draughtsman or dilettante and produced several albums of insects.
Based on the typical composition, it's dimensions an common nature of the four butterflies, all from the Satyrinae family, this sheet once was part of the album Vertooning der Inlandsche Insecten (depiction of indigenous insects), signed N. Struyk and dated 1715. Sheets of this album (which got dis-assembled and it's separate sheets got dispersed) have been sold separately during the last decades.
Several years later Struyk produced a mirror album of exotic insects titled Verschyden, Uyt-lansche Insecten, geteekent na het Cabinet van Hn. Seba, J.ten Kate, & c., versamelt door N. Strüyck, Junior 1719 of the renowned Wunderkammer of the Amsterdam apothecary Albertus Seba (1665-1736) and that of his contemporary J.ten Kate.[1]
[1] National History sale, Sotheby's London, 8 November 2000, lot #155 as Verschyden, Uyt-lansche Insecten, geteekent na het Cabinet van d'Hn. Seba, J. ten Kate, &c., versamelt door N. Struyck, junior, 1719. [Amsterdam:] 1719. 10 original drawings in bodycolour and grey wash (447 x 280mm). Sold for 47.000GBP (hammer price).
