Maria Sibylla Merian: New Book of Flowers

by Maria Sibylla Merian, Thomas Burger (Editor)

Maria Sibylla Merian's New Book of Flowers represents one of the most stunning collections of floral engravings created by a fascinating and fiercely independent woman.

Genres: Art, Science, History

96 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 1999

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

[Edith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Facsmile of the 17th century artist and scientist Maria Sibylla Merian's beautiful engravings, hand-colored, of flowers and insects. Her first work. The illustrations show flowers in bud, full bloom and decay, often with a gorgeous butterfly or caterpillar. There are garlands and bouquets as well, all beautifully colored. A wonderful source of inspiration for design, as well as a pleasure to examine for its own sake. A biography of Merian and an analysis of the book are included. Highly recommended.

[Darrin]

This is a facsimile edition of the original New Book of Flowers with a short autobiographical sketch at the end of the volume and an additional evaluation of Merian's work from an artistic perspective. There is a short history of floral painting and the importance of and special meaning given to plants and flowers during the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries.

I would one day like to have a copy of this book.