Vintage African Folk Art Iridescent Morpho Butterfly Wing Mosaic Made in Brazil

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Description

Offering for sale this exceptional vintage butterfly wing artwork, handcrafted using real butterfly wings to create a mosaic. The piece … Read more Offering for sale this exceptional vintage butterfly wing artwork, handcrafted using real butterfly wings to create a mosaic. The piece features a stylized figure, frequently described as an African lady in traditional dress, surrounded by butterflies on an oceanfront seascape with mountains in the background.

Visible artwork measures 15-1/4" width x 11-1/4" height and is in outstanding condition, with no observable imperfections. Frame measures 20" width x 16" height and has a few imperfections on the lower right and left corners, but otherwise is a truly gorgeous giltwood, floral frame. Artwork is under curved glass – that's right, CURVED glass! (Please note: the artwork would benefit from having the inside of the glass cleaned.) Signed "Folclore - Brasil" in lower right corner.

The maker tag on the back of the piece reveals that this specific butterfly wing artwork was exported or distributed by Costa Comércio e Indústria Ltda., based in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and made by COSTA COMÉRCIO E INDÚSTRIA LTDA in PRAÇA MAUÁ, Brazil.

While themes depicting African native figures and palm trees are very common in traditional Central African Republic butterfly art, mid-20th-century artisan shops in Brazil (particularly Rio de Janeiro and Salvador) also produced remarkably similar souvenirs. Because Rio de Janeiro served as a massive travel hub during this era, local Brazilian specialty shops widely used native iridescent Morpho butterfly wings to create scenic trays, framed silhouettes, and decorative plates sold directly to tourists at Praça Mauá.

While the exporter tag explicitly confirms a Brazilian origin, the artwork features a Central African theme. Because traditional Brazilian butterfly wing art more commonly depicts iconic Rio landscapes (like Christ the Redeemer or Sugarloaf Mountain), this specific cross-cultural stylistic blend makes it a highly unique talking piece. See less