This striking natural history poster was produced for the Musée Royal du Congo Belge in Tervuren near Brussels, Belgium, during the late 1930s – 1950s colonial period.

The artwork depicts the dramatic praying mantis Idolomantis diabolica, labelled 'Idolum Diabolicum,' a spectacular species native to Central and East Africa known for its elaborate leaf-like camouflage and flared forelegs. The poster was part of a series created to promote the museum’s collections and to publicise the biodiversity of the then Belgian Congo and Ruanda-Urundi territories. The illustration is by the Belgian naturalist-artist Jacques Van Noten, whose highly detailed scientific style blends accurate entomological study with the dramatic scale typical of mid-century museum posters.

Year: 1930s

Dimensions:100cm x 65cm 

Materials/Media: Original lithograph, linen backed