Desert Honeysuckles by Maria Sibylla Merian (1647-1717)
A woman ahead of her time, botanist Maria Sibylla Merian is considered the first artist to depict insects in their natural habitats. In the eighteenth century, Europe was mesmerized by books featuring her life-size paintings and detailed research on both local species and the more exotic sorts found during her time spent in Suriname. She also conducted studies into the reproductive systems of insects—a subject thought “unladylike” at the time—and was admired for her business acumen and extensive knowledge of natural science.
