Feminine Monarchie
Contributed by Deborah Khodanovich on Jan 8th, 2026. Artwork published in
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The Feminine Monarchie, or the History of Bees, a 1609 book by Charles Butler, is not only the first book on the science of beekeeping but also brought to public awareness that the bee colony is ruled by a queen rather than a king.
Made as a student project at RISD, this series of ten plates creates a taxonomy that compares the parts of the beehive to societal structures and an anthropology to how communities of bees and people behave. Each plate shows an illustration as a visual representation of the idea, as well as a quote from the book that discusses that specific plates themes.
Size (per plate): 6″×8″
