Ron Marlett likes using different types of insects in his still life paintings as a way of illustrating the symbiotic relationship the insects have with the flowering plants. The artist's typical use of insects in his work is as spots of color adding interest to particular areas of a composition. Still Life with Butterflies is a departure from this technique. The piece is covered with butterflies, so that the insects create a pattern across the pictorial plane. All the objects that form the paintings structural integrity were selected for their nuetral presence. The white and light colors in the piece do not interfere with the brightly-colored butterflies that populate the space. The blue field of color behind the wall drappery  is a cloudless sky; this gives the viewer the perception that the scene is floating in a heavenly world - a surrealistic place where butterflies transcend the usual metaphor and become something magical and eternal. You can buy a poster of this painting at
Ron Marlett's Store