The Wondrous Transformation of Caterpillars and Their Peculiar Flower Nourishment, Pl.070
1679-1683
Created between 1679 and 1683, this detailed print by Maria Sibylla Merian captures the complete life cycle of a moth, tracking it from a fuzzy, spiky caterpillar munching on a leaf at the bottom, through its pupal stage, to the elegant adult moths taking flight. Unlike her contemporaries who believed insects spontaneously generated from mud, Merian meticulously observed and recorded how specific caterpillars transformed into specific butterflies, linking them directly to their host plants. This plate, marked with the Roman numeral XIX, is a beautiful example of her groundbreaking work from 'Der Raupen wunderbare Verwandelung' that essentially founded modern entomology.
- Technique
- engraving
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