The 23rd of October, nature photographer Lotfi Bouslah of Lolo Pics shared a photo of remarkable beauty : a photograph of a two tailed Pacha butterfly. The photo is taken up close, with exactitude and with this capacity that Lotfi Bouslah has to create an intimate rapport with his subject, an intimacy that invites pause, the desire to stay a while in the grace of this enchanting scene. The two tailed Pacha butterfly is shown in all its splendour, like a Chinese emperor in his imperial robes. The rich colours of sienna, orange, white, and black of the wings hypnotize us like exotic garments of a sumptuous couture show. The scientific name for the Pacha butterfly is equally luxurious : Charaxes jasius, with a wingspan of 2.5 to 2.9 inches for males, and 2.9 to 3.5 inches for females, is a butterfly that is found in the Mediterranean region and the continent of Africa. There are 6 sub - species, of which the North African species, Charaxes jasius jasius, that is also found in Southern Europe, is the butterfly in the photograph of Lotfi Bouslah.
The photograph's style impresses me each time I revisit it, like a lotus flower it reveals a facet overlooked before. Like the view as seen through a kaleidoscope, the two tailed Pacha butterfly surrendered its magnificent secret : the nature photographer was able to create a portrait in a way that gives an exquisite permanence to its fragile beauty, because he dresses the butterfly in the light of his camera in such a way that the result is an objet d'art done crafted in the ancient art of cloisonne. Cloisonne is an art technique that goes back thousands of years and is the art of decorating metal objects by adding compartments , " cloisons " in French, by soldering fine strips of silver and gold on their edges. These edges remain visible on the finished art object and different cloisons, so compartments, which are then filled with the paste of enamel powder of different colours, which is then put in an oven, several times , until the desired hue is achieved, and then polished several times as well to achieve the desired brilliance. The techniques of cloisonne art were first developed in the Middle East, on small pieces, like rings. The ancient Egyptians utilized this technique with much refinement, as in the death mask and other treasures of the tomb of the pharaoh Tutankhamen who ruled from 1332 to 1323 B.C. The ancient Egyptians decorated their cloisons with semi- precious stones, like lapiz lazuli, turquoise, carnelian, feldspar and garnets. The technique of cloisonne reached medieval Europe through the Byzantine Empire that had perfected the art of gold icon cloisonne art. The oldest pieces of cloisonne art date from the XII th century B.C. and were rings found in tombs in Cyprus. The technique does not reach China until the XIII - XIV th centuries, and it is thought that the art in China benefited from Byzantine artisans who escaped to China after the fall off Constantinople in 1453. The influence of Chinese cloisonne art persists today and is among the best known in the world. Starting in the XIX th century, Japanese cloisonne art becomes well known, with centers in Edo and Kyoto. Russian cloisonne art from the times of the tsars also is renowned, especially the collection of the House of Faberge or of Khlebnikov.
The photograph of Lotfi Bouslah of the two tailed Pacha butterfly from North Africa, Charaxes jasius jasius, is precious like a piece of cloisonne art in the hands of its photographer. The beauty of the brilliant colours achieve permanence beyond the butterfly's physical fragility. This capacity to transmit a sense of permanence to this insect that is the symbol of all ephemeral beauty, gains a status of invulnerability because of the artistic perspective of Lotfi Bouslah. Resting on a bright green stem of a wild flower, fixed in its disarming beauty : its round black eyes two precious jewels, its long antennas rigid and alert, like silver threads, just as the legs partially hidden by its big wings with the designs of black spots circled by white lines exactly in the way silver or gold strips are attached to a cloisonne art piece. The resulting effect of permanence is reassuring and moving, a moment in which time holds its breath. This capacity for beautiful contrasts, for fascinating contradictions, for intriguing balance, are facets of the photographic art of Lotfi Bouslah that are unique and gratifying from an intellectual and creative point of view. His art is well thought- out, the result of a world vision of a broad minded soul, who is tolerant, and who also has a capacity for intimacy and abstraction all in one, a powerful combination of charisma and generosity.
Trudi Ralston
The information on the two tailed Pacha butterfly, Charaxes jasius and Charaxes jasius jasius, and the research on the art of cloisonne, courtesy of Wikipedia.
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