Rösel conducted his own observations: he bred insects at home, observed their transformations from larvae into adults, and documented changes in form and colour. His illustrations were distinguished by remarkable accuracy and meticulous attention to detail. He depicted not only external appearance but also stages of development — eggs, larvae, pupae, and adults. It was precisely such images that made his works invaluable to European taxonomists. 

Rösel combined the scrupulous precision of a scientist with the aesthetic sensibility of an artist. His principal work is the multi-volume Insecten‑Belustigung (1746–1761). This was no dry encyclopaedia, but an engaging narrative in which each insect appeared as a unique character with its own “biography”. He detailed metamorphoses, behaviour, and habitats, making numerous discoveries along the way, including a thorough study of mosquito development.

His work on crustaceans was particularly significant. In Die monatlich herausgegebenen Insecten‑Belustigung he presented exquisitely detailed illustrations of crayfish, crabs, and other arthropods, laying the groundwork for their scientific classification. His images were so precise that they continued to be used by biologists for decades. 

The majority of his works were copperplate engravings subsequently hand‑coloured. No direct records of the artist’s precise pigment formulas have survived. However, it is known that masters of that era used watercolour and natural pigments. Rösel worked primarily in watercolour and gouache, sometimes making preliminary sketches in graphite or pen. His colours were notable for their freshness and durability. 

In the 18th century, artists often prepared their own pigments. Rösel likely used: 

• Natural minerals: ochre (yellow and brown tones), umber, green earth
• Plant‑based dyes: indigo (blue), madder (red), saffron (yellow)
• Expensive imported pigments: carmine (from cochineal), ultramarine (from lapis lazuli), lead white
• Metallic pigments: powdered gold and silver to lend a sheen to beetles’ wings

Pigments were obtained from apothecaries or prepared by the artist himself through grinding minerals or boiling plants. He favoured thick paper, often lightly tinted in pale shades, to emphasise the brilliance of colour.

Original watercolours and engravings by Rösel are held in several prestigious European institutions: 

• The Natural History Museum, London
• University Library of Erlangen–Nuremberg
• Germanisches Nationalmuseum, Nuremberg
• Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden

Many illustrations have now been digitised and are accessible through the online archives of these institutions.

• Rösel used a microscope for observation — a rarity in his time
• Numerous species of insects and crustaceans have been named in his honour
• His works were used by Carl Linnaeus in the development of his classification system
• He often gave insects poetic names, comparing them to mythological characters
• His daughter assisted in hand‑colouring engravings
• Legend has it that he could lie for hours observing an anthill
• He criticised theories of spontaneous generation 

The contemporary White Nights watercolours will help Elena Bazanova recreate a palette akin to that used by Rösel. Although many 18th-century pigments have disappeared, their modern equivalents retain authentic character while offering improved durability and safety. Because so many traditional colours remain unchanged, artists of different eras can speak the same visual language. 

The creation of this illustration forms part of a broader study tracing how the classical school of painting is reflected in the work of a contemporary master, and how tradition, when engaging with new materials, remains relevant and profound. 

The aim is to demonstrate that modern watercolour is worthy of museum display and to discuss the fundamental values of classical art — discipline and the pursuit of an ideal. These principles live on not only in technique but also in the paints themselves, which are created with a keen awareness of history.