This exquisite hand-colored folio engraving is from Maria Sibylla Merian's Histoire générale des insectes de Surinam et de toute l'Europe, contenant leurs descriptions, leurs fgures, leurs differenes metamorphoses commonly referred to as Insects of Surinam. This is from the third edition published in Paris by L. C. Desnos in 1771.

Maria Sibylla Merian was a naturalist and artist. Her contributions to entomology were nevery truly acknowledged in her lifetime, but she is considered a groundbreaker in the fields of botany and zoology. She made detailed observations of live specimens, which was a departure from previous studies that used preserved specimens. She focused great detail on the processes of metamorphosis which had not been studied so comprehensively before her work.

The engravings were done by J. Mulder, P. Sluyter and A. Stopendaal, all after Merian. The work is considered to be one of the most beautiful if not most famous illustrated natural history works of the 18th century.

The work was the result of Merian's trip with her daughter Dorothea to Surinam in 1699. The pair studied and recorded plants and insects for two year under difficult conditions. They came back to Amsterdam with specimens and their work and produced this astounding work.

'Her portrayals of living insects and other animals were imbued with a charm, a minuteness of observation and an artistic sensibility that had not previously been seen in a natural history book'; if Gould and Audubon have 'a spiritual ancestor, then it is difficult to think of a more worthy claimant to the title than Maria Sibylle Merian' (op. cit. p. 51

It is 'easily the most magnificent work on insects so far produced ... [combining] science and art in unequal proportions, meeting the demands of art at the expense, when necessary, of science. Her portrayals of living insects and other animals were imbued with a charm, a minuteness of observation and an artistic sensibility that had not previously been seen in a natural history book' (Peter Dance, The Art of Natural History , pp.50-51)

  • Dimensions: ~ 13" by 19 1/2"
  • Literature: Histoire générale des insectes de Surinam et de toute l'Europe... OR Insects of Surinam
  • Medium: Hand-colored Engraving
  • Circa: 1771
  • Condition: The work is in very good to excellent condition overall. There may be a few minor imperfections to be expected with age. Please contact us with any questions or concerns.

Accepted Forms of Payment:

ACH, American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Paypal, Personal Check, Visa, Wire Transfer

Shipping

Shipping is handled within 1 business days of completed payment. If you have specific shipping requests or address changes, please contact us before completing payment so we are aware and can adjust the invoice if necessary. Shipping is billed directly after the sale. We typically ship via USPS, FedEx, or UPS on domestic shipments and with USPS, FedEx Connect, or UPS for international shipments. We calculate based on the total package weight and destination. All shipments are insured, though to provide this some services may be required when shipping outside of the United States. We're glad to provide quotes and options of services.

The buyer is responsible for paying the customs fees, duties, import taxes, and any related charges. Customs can cause delays in arrival of your shipment, which the seller has no control over. Please consider these charges and delays when making your purchase. If you need specific wording for customs, please also contact before payment as each country has different rules and we will try to accommodate when possible.

by Trillium Antique Prints & Rare Books
June 13, 2026 9:00 AM CDT
115 Hampsted Lane
Franklin, TN, US 37069

Trillium Antique Prints & Rare Books

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of 15% and any applicable taxes and shipping.

View full terms and conditions

Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $5
$100 $299 $10
$300 $699 $25
$700 + $50