The Wondrous Transformation of Caterpillars and Their Strange Diet of Flowers, Plate 014
1679-1683
Maria Sibylla Merian was a scientific rockstar long before women were typically welcomed into the lab. In this 1679 illustration from her groundbreaking book on caterpillars, she meticulously documents the life cycle of a butterfly—from a spiky larva munching on a blossoming branch to the chrysalis and finally the stunning adult with eye-spotted wings. Unlike her contemporaries who dismissed insects as mere 'vermin,' Merian actually raised them from eggs, proving that metamorphosis was a natural transformation. This plate captures her obsession with the messy, beautiful reality of nature, showing the plant, the pest, and the beauty all in one frame.
- Technique
- Engraving
- Material
- Ink on paper
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