Merian Botanical Plate - Mexican Thorny Thistle - Ancient and Natural

Naturalist Illustration – Thorny Thistle and Beetles After Maria Sibylla Merian, a great 17th-century naturalist and illustrator This plate shows a thorny thistle with yellow flowers accompanied by several beetles and their larvae. The illustration accurately shows the interactions between the host plant and the insects that feed on it, a characteristic of Merian's work. Perfect for framing or vintage wall decoration. 🍀 Large format: 32 X 45 cm 🍀 Condition: Very good condition – see photos 🍀 Type: Botanical and entomological illustration in color, printed on thick paper, 1964 reproduction of an old engraving 🍀 Origin: From a book dedicated to the collection Metamorphosis Insectorum Surinamensium by Merian 🍀 Style: Precise naturalistic style with bright colors, colored engraving technique typical of 17th century scientific illustrations 🍀 Text on the plate: Mexikanischer Stachelmohn und Bockkäfer 🌿 Many other illustrations available from the same series, all unique, as well as other zoology and botany images for a refined interior decoration dedicated to nature lovers 🌿 Shipped rolled in a rigid tube, carefully packaged – fast and protected shipping 🌿 Contact me for more information or to benefit from group purchases with discounts and advantageous shipping costs [Ref.51.1Merian-9] 🌻 About the artist: Maria Sibylla Merian (1647–1717), daughter of the engraver and publisher Matthaeus Merian, showed a keen interest in plants and insects from childhood. Her engravings combine exceptional artistic talent with great scientific rigor. After working in Nuremberg and then in the Netherlands, she stayed in Surinam (Dutch Guiana) from 1699 to 1701, where she observed and illustrated the still little-known richness of tropical plants and butterflies. This expedition gave rise to her masterpiece Metamorphosis Insectorum Surinamensium.