Past Exhibits: > The Wondrous Transformation of Caterpillars
The Wondrous Transformation of Caterpillars
Prints displayed in this exhibit were from an early 18th century work on New World insects by the remarkable artist, Maria Sibylla Merian. She was the first artist to emphasize the life cycle of the butterfly and its interactions with a host plant. Besides creating visual images of great beauty, she made observations that revolutionized both botany and zoology.
In 1699 at the age of 52 Merian sold her paintings, household goods and personal affects to finance a trip to the Dutch Colony of Surinam on the coast of South America. She travelled with her daughter, Johanna. The two women spent two years in that inhospitable tropical climate collecting, rearing and painting the transformation of exotic insects.
