Today is the birthday of the remarkable artist and
pioneering entomologist, Maria Sibylla Merian.
From her youth she studied insects, and recorded
her discoveries in her studienbuch, or journal.
My illustration of Maria observing silkworms
Eventually her interest in insects and the natural
world led her to Surinam to study the inhabitants
of the Amazon rain forest in Surinam.
MSM in old age
On the day she died, Tsar Peter the Great of
Russia purchased her studienbuch and took it
to St. Petersburg. He founded the first Russian
Museum of Natural History around it and Maria's
journal is still there today.
In England, King George III bought Maria's
original watercolors from her book of the
Insects of Surinam. They remain in the Royal
Library at Windsor Castle where I was graciously
permitted to view them several years ago.
There is more to tell, but I'll stop here and save
the rest for a book. ;-)
Stay tuned.
Oh, I do love this new book idea. The artist is so remarkable. What a story to tell and what an artist to tell the story. Can't wait.
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