毛虫的奇妙蜕变与奇异花卉食粮,图版012

Maria Sibylla Merian

1679-1683

毛虫的奇妙蜕变与奇异花卉食粮,图版012 by Maria Sibylla Merian, 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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