Surinam Insects and Plants (15) — Antique Botanical Print

In 1699, at the age of 52, the German-born naturalist Maria Sibylla Merian sailed to the Dutch colony of Suriname with her daughter Dorothea to study insects firsthand, financing the two-year expedition herself at a time when such independent scientific travel by a woman was almost unheard of. She spent her time in gardens, forests, and plantations along the Suriname River, observing and rearing local species rather than relying on secondhand specimens. This plate, like others in the series drawn from her resulting 1705 publication, likely pairs an insect with the tropical plant it fed on or lived among.

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.