Willow leaves with poplar leaf beetle, eggs and larvae by Maria Sibylla Merian

Willow leaves with poplar leaf beetle, eggs and larvae after 1679

drawing, gouache

drawing

natural stone pattern

circular oval feature

egg art

baroque

gouache

culinary art

german

food illustration

food art

14_17th-century

watercolour bleed

watercolour illustration

botanical art

watercolor

"Willow leaves with poplar leaf beetle, eggs and larvae" is a watercolor by the renowned naturalist and artist Maria Sibylla Merian. Created after 1679, this artwork exemplifies Merian's meticulous observation of the natural world. The detailed depiction of the willow leaves, beetle, eggs, and larvae showcases her scientific accuracy and artistic skill. Merian's work was groundbreaking for its time, contributing significantly to the field of entomology and inspiring generations of naturalists.

Comments

stadelmuseum over 1 year ago

⋮

Composed with great artistic sensibility, while at the same time striving for the utmost fidelity to nature, this drawing depicts the stages of a poplar leaf beetle’s development. In the accompanying text in the Caterpillar Book, published in 1679, Merian described the mature beetles as “yellow”, but coloured them bright red, in keeping with their appearance in real life.