Studies of a Blue Beetle and Insects 17th century () Anonymous, Dutch, 17th century Dutch The advent of the microscope in the early seventeenth century revolutionized the manner in which people saw insects. In about 1600, ants, bees, and butterflies garnered most scholarly attention, owing to their significance in biblical and classical sources. By the eighteenth century, the range of insects that were subjects of study had expanded in tandem with a new interest in understanding insects’ anatomies. The two smaller, less familiar insects depicted in this drawing operate as a framing device for the large blue beetle at its center.. Studies of a Blue Beetle and Insects. Anonymous, Dutch, 17th century . 17th century (). Gouache and watercolor. Drawings