Soursop
1719
Maria Sibylla Merian was a scientific rockstar who traveled to the jungles of Surinam in 1699, long before it was common for women to do so. This 1719 illustration, published posthumously, captures the 'Zursak' plant (likely the Soursop) hosting a dramatic insect transformation. You can trace the full life cycle: a giant green caterpillar munching on fruit, a curled chrysalis, and the final stunning moth with pink and blue wings. Merian revolutionized biology by proving insects undergo metamorphosis and don't just spontaneously generate from mud, linking them directly to their host plants.
- Technique
- Hand-colored engraving
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