Maria Sibylla Merian

More than three centuries after Maria Sibylla Merian established herself as a scientific trailblazer-and after more than two centuries of obscurity-the work of this pioneering naturalist and artist is being rediscovered. Merian's work, The New Book of Flowers, raised the artistic standards of natural history illustration. Published in 1675, the book employed impeccable botanic accuracy with artistic expression. In it, Merian moved away from traditional methods that favored single illustrations and instead composed her studies to explore the relationships between flowers and insects. This poster book draws its nearly two dozen illustrations from The New Book of Flowers. Exquisitely reproduced, each illustration reveals the exacting detail and luminous colors that are the hallmark of Merian's work. Perfect for close study as well as decoration, this treasury of botanical delight will help brighten any room-and inspire anyone drawn to the beautiful world of flowers.

More than three centuries after Maria Sibylla Merian established herself as a scientific trailblazer-and after more than two centuries of obscurity-the work of this pioneering naturalist and artist is being rediscovered. Merian's work, The New Book of Flowers, raised the artistic standards of natural history illustration. Published in 1675, the book employed impeccable botanic accuracy with artistic expression. In it, Merian moved away from traditional methods that favored single illustrations and instead composed her studies to explore the relationships between flowers and insects. This poster book draws its nearly two dozen illustrations from The New Book of Flowers. Exquisitely reproduced, each illustration reveals the exacting detail and luminous colors that are the hallmark of Merian's work. Perfect for close study as well as decoration, this treasury of botanical delight will help brighten any room-and inspire anyone drawn to the beautiful world of flowers.

In 1679, the commentator Joachim von Sandrart described Maria Sibylla Merian (1647-1717) as a painter who had perfected the art of the miniature and of flower painting, a high and deserved honour. Posthumously, however, it is Merian’s status as an entomologist or naturalist that has garnered the most attention; she has not received her due as an artist. This book remedies this situation and assists the reader in understanding Merian’s life as a woman and as an artist in the early modern Dutch Republic. Using Merian’s hundreds of extant watercolours and book illustrations as sources, in combination with her surviving correspondence and with contemporary art treatises, Catherine Powell-Warren recognizes the artistic contributions of Maria Sibylla Merian, and situates them in their socio-cultural and creative context. This book is the first to consider Merian's art and art-historical significance: her artistic range; her techniques; the rich visual rhetoric she deployed in her works; and her innovations. Merian may not have been a guild member, but she was for all intents and purposes the head of a for-profit business (a 'master'), seeing to the training of her daughters and managing a successful workshop, publishing her works, and networking to secure patrons and resources. Considering the impediments she faced as a woman, her achievements as an artist, as well as in other realms, can be considered noteworthy and perhaps even extraordinary.

In 1679, the commentator Joachim von Sandrart described Maria Sibylla Merian (1647-1717) as a painter who had perfected the art of the miniature and of flower painting, a high and deserved honour. Posthumously, however, it is Merian's status as an entomologist or naturalist that has garnered the most attention; she has not received her due as an artist. This book remedies this situation and assists the reader in understanding Merian's life as a woman and as an artist in the early modern Dutch Republic. Using Merian's hundreds of extant watercolours and book illustrations as sources, in combination with her surviving correspondence and with contemporary art treatises, Catherine Powell-Warren recognizes the artistic contributions of Maria Sibylla Merian, and situates them in their socio-cultural and creative context. This book is the first to consider Merian's art and art-historical significance: her artistic range; her techniques; the rich visual rhetoric she deployed in her works; and her innovations. Merian may not have been a guild member, but she was for all intents and purposes the head of a for-profit business (a 'master'), seeing to the training of her daughters and managing a successful workshop, publishing her works, and networking to secure patrons and resources. Considering the impediments she faced as a woman, her achievements as an artist, as well as in other realms, can be considered noteworthy and perhaps even extraordinary.

The revolutionary artist and naturalist Maria Sibylla Merian (1647-1717) has come into the spotlight in recent years. The life and work of this German-born woman, who would later settle in the Netherlands, has been studied internationally by entomologists, botanists and historians and are a source of inspiration for contemporary artists and writers. In 2016, Lannoo Publishers, in collaboration with the Koninklijke Bibliotheek, republished her masterpiece 'Metamorphosis insectorum Surinamensium' as a facsimile. This well-illustrated book assembles the most recent scientific knowledge about this remarkable woman. The authors examine, among other things, Merian's pioneering work on the reproduction and development of insects, the methods and materials she used for her work, her remarkable journey to Suriname, her network of family, friends and patrons and her widespread influence on the history of art and science. Her work is compared to that of early modern and contemporary artists and scientists.

The revolutionary artist and naturalist Maria Sibylla Merian (1647-1717) has come into the spotlight in recent years. The life and work of this German-born woman, who would later settle in the Netherlands, has been studied internationally by entomologists, botanists and historians and are a source of inspiration for contemporary artists and writers. In 2016, Lannoo Publishers, in collaboration with the Koninklijke Bibliotheek, republished her masterpiece 'Metamorphosis insectorum Surinamensium' as a facsimile. This well-illustrated book assembles the most recent scientific knowledge about this remarkable woman. The authors examine, among other things, Merian's pioneering work on the reproduction and development of insects, the methods and materials she used for her work, her remarkable journey to Suriname, her network of family, friends and patrons and her widespread influence on the history of art and science. Her work is compared to that of early modern and contemporary artists and scientists.