Dissertação sobre a geração e metamorfose dos insetos do Suriname Pl. 34
1726
Maria Sibylla Merian was the 18th-century equivalent of a rockstar naturalist, traveling to Suriname to sketch insects in their actual habitats. This plate showcases the life cycle of a moth on a grapevine, capturing a chubby caterpillar climbing the stem, a dormant chrysalis, and the final winged adult hovering near the fruit. Unlike her contemporaries who studied dead bugs in jars, Merian was the first to document how specific insects rely on specific host plants for metamorphosis, making this a groundbreaking piece of scientific art that looks like a botanical masterpiece.
- Technique
- Engraving