The Legacy
24 Years. 30 Countries. One Alphabet.
The incredible true story of Kjell Bloch Sandved and his quest to teach nature to speak.
Kjell Sandved (1922-2015) dedicated his life to documenting the minute beauty of the natural world.
It began in 1960 at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. Kjell (pronounced "Shell") Sandved, a Norwegian-born author and lecturer, was examining a box of preserved butterfly specimens for a book on nature. As he peered through a magnifying glass, he suddenly froze. There, perfectly formed on the wing of a Swallowtail butterfly, was the letter "F."
"Not even a calligrapher could have improved on its beauty. My mind was made up. I was going to search for the entire alphabet."
— Kjell Sandved
That single moment changed the trajectory of his life.
Without formal training, Kjell taught himself the art of close-up nature photography. What followed was a 24-year global quest across 30 countries — from the Amazon rainforest to the jungles of Papua New Guinea and the islands of the Philippines — in search of every letter of the alphabet hidden in butterfly wings.
He refused to digitally manipulate a single image.
"What you see is exactly what was on the wing. Sometimes I had to hang from a tree branch for hours, waiting for the butterfly to open its wings just right."
— Kjell Sandved
The dedication paid off. Kjell became the Smithsonian's first full-time nature photographer, helping develop museum exhibits and producing educational films on nature and animal behavior.
In 1993, he founded The Butterfly Alphabet, sharing the completed alphabet with the world through books, fine art posters, and customizable names, each one created entirely by nature.
More than art, the Butterfly Alphabet is an important reminder to appreciate the beauty of nature.
"Nothing is more important than to teach children that nature is not something that should be trampled on, uprooted or cleared for cement buildings."
— Kjell Sandved
Own a Piece of History
The alphabet is available as custom name or word art, posters, and books. Share the wonder of nature with someone you love.
Custom Names
Celebrate a name in butterfly letters. Available framed or unframed.
Create Your Name →
The Complete Alphabet Poster
The classic 18x24 poster featuring all 26 letters and 9 numbers found in nature.
Shop The Poster →
The Butterfly Alphabet Book
Close-up photos of the Butterfly Alphabet A-Z, accompanied by an alphabet poem and butterfly facts.
Shop The Book →The Science Behind the Beauty: Why do wings have patterns?
The intricate patterns on butterfly wings, including the "letters" Kjell found, are made of thousands of microscopic scales. These patterns serve as camouflage, warnings to predators, or signals to attract mates.