Das Insektenbuch. Metamorphosis insectorum Surinamensium.

by Maria Sibylla Merian

German (translation)Original Dutch, Latin

Genres: Science, Art, Nonfiction, Nature, Biology, Animals, History

Paperback

First published October 1, 2009

About the author

Maria Sibylla Merian was a naturalist and scientific illustrator who studied plants and insects and made detailed paintings about them. Her detailed observations and documentation of the metamorphosis of the butterfly make her a significant contributor to entomology.

Reviews

[Susanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

The most wonderful book of scientific, artful and lifelike renditions of special insects, mainly butterflies and moths, created in 1700 by a German woman from Frankfurt.

[Thomasin Propson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maria's plates are beautiful to look at, but also glad for this edition's information about how she gathered the insects, lizards, and plants, and especially the notable misidentifications.

Would like to create embroideries or needlepoints based on some of her plates. Have a long list of the "best" to adapt.

[Edith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Superb reproduction of Maria Sibylla Merian's plates from the book Insects of Surinam. With description, biography. The observation and detail, color, and even the sense of humor, of these plates, made by the remarkable 50 year old divorced German woman who travelled to Surinam from Holland accompanied by her young daughter in the late 17th c. are magnificent. They can be appreciated for their beauty alone. Well worth acquiring, and highly recommended.

[Wetdryvac Wetdryvac · Rating 5 out of 5]

Purely bloody amazing. I'm so very glad this book was recommended to me, even if most of what I did was look at the lovely pictures and struggle with the language just enough to sort out what each picture was of.

Lovely work indeed.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25

[Cathie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing.