Rote Lilie - Maria Sibylla Merian

A detailed botanical study by Maria Sibylla Merian, featuring a red lily alongside the life cycle of insects.

This botanical study by Maria Sibylla Merian captures the life cycle of insects alongside the botanical structure of the red lily. Merian, a naturalist and scientific illustrator, observed these specimens during her expedition to Suriname. Her work moved away from the static, isolated plant portraits common in the seventeenth century. Instead, she documented the ecological relationships between flora and fauna.

The composition features the central lily plant, rendered with precise attention to its leaves and blossoms. Merian includes various stages of insect development, such as larvae, pupae, and adult forms. This approach provides a narrative of metamorphosis, a subject that fascinated her throughout her career. The lines are clean and deliberate, reflecting the technical skill required for copperplate engraving. The hand-applied colour adds a layer of realism to the botanical forms, while the insects are depicted with scientific accuracy.

Merian published these observations in her major work, Metamorphosis Insectorum Surinamensium. Her plates remain important for their contribution to entomology and botany. This print offers a view into the early modern scientific method, where art and observation functioned as tools for discovery. The balance between the plant and the insects creates a cohesive visual record of the natural world as she encountered it in the tropics. The work is presented here as a fine art print, preserving the clarity of the original engraving and the subtle tones of the hand-colouring.