During the early/miid-20th century, workshops in Rio de Janeiro and other coastal cities created trays, plaques, jewelry boxes, and framed pictures using carefully cut pieces of genuine tropical butterfly and moth wings beneath glass. Artisans combined naturally patterned moth and butterfly wings to create the decorative borders while using Blue Morpho butterfly wings for the shimmering blues throughout the birds and scenic landscapes. The electric flashes of blue are not paint or foil—they are produced by microscopic structures on the Morpho's wings that refract light, creating an iridescence that shifts dramatically as the viewing angle changes.
The central image is an idealized Rio de Janeiro landscape with Sugarloaf Mountain, Guanabara Bay, and swaying palms, all framed by two Birds-of-Paradise. This piece functions both as a serving tray and wall display.
