Merian

Art, science and adventure come together in the extraordinary life and work of Maria Sibylla Merian, pioneering artist and natural scientist. Her meticulous studies of insects made her a trailblazer of modern entomology.

Born in 1647 into a family of printers and engravers in Frankfurt and trained as a painter by her stepfather, Merian began raising insects as a child. Captivated by the transformation of caterpillars into butterflies and moths, she observed their life cycles firsthand, recording their eggs, metamorphoses, food and habitats in brilliantly detailed watercolors and engravings.

Life took her to Friesland and Amsterdam, but her curiosity drew her far beyond Europe. In 1699 she made a self-financed expedition to Suriname in South America with daughter Dorothea. There, she studied insects, plants and animals in their natural surroundings. Her observations culminated in Metamorphosis Insectorum Surinamensium, a landmark work with 60 engraved plates.

This volume brings together all 256 engravings published across her three major works: Book of Flowers, Caterpillar Book and Insects of Surinam. Alongside are 120 original watercolours from the Sloane Albums at the British Museum in London. Seen side by side, the watercolors and engravings offer a unique insight into Merian’s artistic process.

Artist, publisher and pioneering businesswoman, Merian forged an international network and independent career in a world dominated by men, training her own daughters as collaborators. This simply beautiful volume celebrates a remarkable life, astonishing talent and enduring legacy.