Rose with Metamorphosis of Leaf Roller and a Glued Beetle Larva

Maria Sibylla Merian was a German-born naturalist and scientific illustrator. She was one of the earliest European naturalists to observe insects directly.

In the text accompanying this plate of the Caterpillar Book, Merian mentioned that the little green caterpillars with black heads liked to eat rose blossoms from the inside out, a phenomenon she also tried to convey in her depiction. What is more, she glued a real preserved specimen (a dried caterpillar) to the rose’s main blossom. Such additions can fall off very easily, as may well have been the case with her other gouache drawings.

We present today's work thanks to the Städel Museum. 

P.S. Maria Sybilla Merian is featured in our Women Artists notebook, check it out here.  :)

P.P.S. Here you can see botanical illustrations of Merian's fellow German artist Barbara Regina Dietzsch. <3