Surinam Insects and Plants (13) — Antique Botanical Print

Long before she ever saw Suriname, Maria Sibylla Merian spent decades in Germany raising caterpillars and recording their transformations, publishing the results as an illustrated caterpillar book beginning in 1679. That lifelong habit of breeding insects to observe them firsthand, rather than sketching preserved specimens, is what she carried with her to South America in 1699. This plate belongs to the later Suriname series that grew out of those same methods, likely showing an insect alongside the plant that sustained it.

Materials & origin

• Material: 200 gsm gallery-grade, acid-free fine-art paper (FSC-certified).
• Print: Archival giclée, 12-colour printing, smooth matte finish for glare-free display.
• Artwork: Restored from a public-domain original; colour and detail digitally cleaned for large-format print.
• Origin: Made on demand and shipped from the print hub nearest you, cutting transit and waste.
• Framing: Sold unframed; ships rolled in a protective tube.