The amazing story of the life and work of the renowned botanical artist Maria Sibylla Merian is told alongside her beautiful illustrations of butterflies in this charming and elegant book. A woman ahead of her time, Maria Sibylla Merian (1647–1717) was
an intrepid explorer, naturalist, scholar, as well as a magnificent
artist. This lovely, impeccably designed book tells Merian’s
incredible life story alongside colorful reproductions of her
engravings and watercolors of the butterflies she encountered
during her lifetime in Germany and the Netherlands, and her
seminal trip to the Dutch colony of Surinam. The book recounts
Merian’s monumental expedition, her work as an advocate for
the slave laborers of Surinam, and her important studies of the
anatomy and life cycle of the butterfly. Author Boris Friedewald
employs Merian’s favorite insect as a metaphor for the artist’s
own pioneering evolution from budding entomologist to
educator, activist, and artist. A visual treasure as well as a
satisfying read, this exquisite volume is the perfect gift for
anyone interested in Merian’s amazing life and groundbreaking
body of work.
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