The connection between the advancement of the science of botany and the
painting of flowers is significantly important in understanding Maria Sibylla
Merian's artwork. Her scientific study and illustrations of plants, animals, and
insects are recognized as major contributions to the history of botany and
entomology, but it is only recently that her exquisite illustrations have been
reconsidered in the context of art history. For her flower illustrations
Maria preferred to use watercolors applied to parchment, which brought out the natural
and fresh qualities of her subjects. She engraved her copperplates herself,
using a line-and-point technique as well as a crayon style. The sheets coming
from the press were run through again with a second plate, producing transfer
prints that were lighter and more delicate, and then hand-colored. Maria’s
illustrations of flora and fauna not only demonstrate her mastery as a painter
and engraver, but express a concern for botany uncommon in a woman of the late
17th century. In Amsterdam she was in close touch with scientists; this fearless
scholar and artist, who paid scant heed to the conventions of her time, is also
recognized as a founder of entomology.
Maria Sibylla Merian was born in Frankfurt, Germany in 1647. She was the
daughter of a Swiss engraver who published one of the first collections of
flower illustrations in 1641. Although her father died when she was only three,
his artwork proved to be a source of inspiration to her throughout her career.
Maria's career as an artist was further strengthened when her mother remarried
Jacob Marell, a well-known Flemish flower painter who strongly encouraged
Maria's artistic talents.
In 1665 Maria married one of Jacob Marell's students, Johann Andreas Graff,
with whom she had two daughters. The family moved to Nuremberg in 1670. In 1681
Maria’s stepfather died, and after separating from her husband she returned to
her mother in Frankfurt. In 1685 she moved with her mother and daughters to
Waltha in West Friesland, where she converted to Labadism,
a religious sect that did not believe in formal marriage or worldly possessions, among
other things. She then lived in Labadist settlements and finally settled in
Amsterdam in 1690 where she studied various insect collections including that of
Professor Frederik Ruysch, Rachel's father. It is interesting to note that
although Rachel Ruysch and Maria had access to the same
collections, their interpretations differ greatly. Ruysch is incredibly
precise in her depictions of plants, animals, and insects but her compositions
are artificial constructions. Maria's work is also very precise but it is much
more natural and delicate and reflects her spirit of scientific knowledge.
"New Flower Book" was the title of Maria's first publication. It was a
three-volume set of flower engravings, published between 1675 and 1680. Perhaps
the reason this book of delicately hand-painted engravings of garden flowers is
not as well known as her work on insects because it was intended to provide
models for embroidery, and possibly even for paintings on silk and linen. Maria
was a skilled needle worker and there is evidence showing that she had her own
business selling hand-painted silks, which were made by the female apprentices
that she employed. Only five copies of this book have survived, including a
priceless first edition.
From an early age, Maria preferred to draw the plants and animals that she
saw around her. Her desire to draw from observation of living forms rather than
preserved specimens is illustrated by the fact that Maria collected, raised and
observed living insects in preparation for a catalog of European moths,
butterflies, and other insects. This catalog, The Wonderful Transformation of
Caterpillars and Their Singular Plant Nourishment, consisted of three volumes
with the first being published in 1679.
In the book titled "Women in Art History", Wendy Slatkin says this
about Maria's works:
"In this work, the development from larvae to caterpillar to
moth of 186 varieties of European insects is illustrated. Each species is
depicted with its preferred plant. Maria collected the insect eggs and studied
the life cycle of each moth. This was the first time that scientific precision
was brought to the investigation of the insect world. Prior to the publication
of these volumes, there was no understanding of the life cycles of insects."
This accomplished "thus revolutionized the sciences of zoology and botany and
laid the foundations for the classification of plant and animal species made by
Charles Linnaeus in the 18th century."
In 1690, after her mother’s death, Maria and her two daughters moved to Amsterdam, where she soon achieved success as a flower
and animal painter. In 1699 she traveled with her younger daughter, Johanna
Helena, to Suriname, located on the northern coast of South America. After having seen dried
specimens of plants and animals from the area, she was determined to study them
in their natural habitat. With the sponsorship she received from the Dutch government, she
spent approximately two years collecting and painting flowers and insects adding
comments about practical aspects of the plants as well as the customs of the
natives she encountered. Eventually, after contracting malaria she was forced to return home
in 1701. In
1705 Maria published the results of this trip in what became her most
significant and beautifully illustrated book, "Metamorphosis of the Insects of
Suriname" which was translated into many languages establishing her
international reputation. Most of the copies of the book were hand-colored. This
was
the first scientific work to be produced on Suriname. Despite having a few biological
errors, the illustrations were convincing, primarily in their
rendering of the brilliance of the tropical colors. Apart from tranquil
studies of nature, there are pictures showing its ferocity, such as the
illustration
depicting a spider eating a hummingbird.
Maria died in 1717. She left quite a remarkable legacy. Her primary focus was
always that of expanding scientific knowledge but her elegant and refined
aesthetic sensibilities elevated the level of botanical illustration to that of
fine art. Like Albrecht Dürer and Leonardo da Vinci, Maria made important
contributions to both art and science through her observations of nature
rendered in beautifully composed and detailed illustrations. In 1997 the United States Postal Service recognized Maria's work by dedicating two new stamp designs
based on drawings from her trip to Suriname.
An interactive display of many of her images that allow you to zoom in and see the intricate details of her illustrations can be found here:
http://tinyurl.com/724cr
You can view the two US Postage stamps here:
http://tinyurl.com/68f8f
For More information on other lesser known female artists that
you should read about, please check here
Sources:
http://www.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk
http://www.nmwa.org
http://virtuell.kunstmuseumbasel.ch
http://cgee.hamline.edu
http://www.highbeam.com