A Poppy in Three Stages of Flowering, with a Caterpillar, Pupa and Butterfly 1668 - 1723

"A Poppy in Three Stages of Flowering, with a Caterpillar, Pupa and Butterfly" is a watercolor on paper by Johanna Helena Herolt (née Graff), a German artist working in the late 17th and early 18th centuries. The artwork depicts a poppy plant in various stages of development, including a bud, a fully blossomed flower, and a seed pod. The composition also features a caterpillar, a chrysalis, and a butterfly, illustrating the full life cycle of the insect. The meticulous detail and realistic portrayal of both plant and insect life are characteristic of Herolt's work, which contributed to the development of botanical illustration.