Annatto
1719
Maria Sibylla Merian was a scientific rockstar who traveled to South America to document nature, and this 1719 plate shows her incredible attention to detail. She depicts the Rocou plant (famous for its red dye seeds) alongside the caterpillars that eat it and the butterfly it produces, effectively debunking the idea that insects spontaneously generated from mud. The open pod reveals those famous red seeds, while a fuzzy caterpillar climbs the stem, creating a complete biological story in one beautiful image.
- Technique
- Engraving with hand-coloring
- Material
- Paper
Views: 3