Caspar Stoll

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Caspar Stoll (d. 1795) was an artist and entomologist who illustrated several works on entomology. Stoll's illustrations of stick insects, mantids and their relatives are particularly well known.

Very little is known of his life, but we know that Stoll spent fifteen years on Natuurlyke, his book on mantids and that the introduction states "All the drawings will be made from nature, based upon specimens found in the cabinets of our provinces (Dutch colonies)". Also that since the drawings show exceptional and accurate detail Stoll's technical grasp of entomology was of a very high order.The work was completed "without losing sight of the all-powerful hand of the Creator".

[edit] Works

• Natuurlyke en naar ´t naauwkeneurig gekleurde afbeeldingen en beschyvingen der spooke, wandelende bladen, zabelsrpinghanen, krekels, trekspringkhaanen en kakkerlakken, in alle vier deelden wareld Europas, Asia, Afrika en America huishouldende. - Representation exactement colorée d´après nature des Spectre, des Mantes, des Sauterelles, des Grillons, des Criquets et des Blattes, qui se trouvent dans les quatres parties du monde, l´Europe, lAsie, l´Afriques´et l´Amerique. (1787, Amsterdam)

• With Pieter Cramer De Uitlandsche Kapellen, ([1775-] 1779-1782), Amsterdam. This work consists of 34 issues in four volumes with all of the drawings accompanied with descriptions of the insects. Cramer died before the publication was completed and so Stoll took over the entire responsibility for the project, producing a supplement. Stoll is positively identified as the author of 370 plates. The original paintings are in the Natural History Museum, London

• De Uitlandsche Kapellen is a key work in the history of entomology. Accurately illustrated with hand-coloured engravings this was the first book on exotic Lepidoptera to use the new system by Carl Linnaeus for naming and classifying animals. Over 1,650 butterfly species are described many named and illustrated first time.