Butterflies 1705 - 1771

Maria Sibylla Merian made this drawing, Butterflies, on paper in the late 17th century. It depicts two moths and three caterpillars on a fruiting plant. Merian was a naturalist who made a name for herself by documenting plant and insect life. Working in the Dutch Republic, she challenged established social norms by pursuing scientific study, something that was not generally accepted for women. Although European naturalists and explorers had, for many years, been bringing samples of exotic flora and fauna back from abroad, Merian was one of the first to undertake the lengthy journey herself. In 1699, she traveled to Suriname, a Dutch plantation colony in South America, to document and draw the tropical insects there. Her later publication based on this trip, Metamorphosis insectorum Surinamensium, combined scientific accuracy with aesthetic beauty and contributed to the fields of both entomology and botanical illustration. It is a valuable source for understanding not just the natural world, but also the culture of a slave-based colony. Further understanding of Merian's drawing and her life can be achieved through the study of letters, diaries, colonial records, and scientific publications.