The Wondrous Transformation of Caterpillars and Their Strange Diet of Flowers, Plate 012
1679-1683
Maria Sibylla Merian was a Baroque-era scientific rockstar who treated caterpillars like VIPs long before women were welcomed into the field. In this 17th-century engraving from her famous book on insect metamorphosis, she illustrates a flowering branch—likely a fruit tree—serving as a buffet. Look closely at the stem to spot a fuzzy caterpillar munching away, while a delicate butterfly flutters nearby, hinting at the magical transformation to come. Unlike many artists of her time who just copied old drawings, Merian actually raised these bugs herself to get the details perfectly right!
- Technique
- Engraving
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