Maria Sibylla Merian, “Plate XXXV: Feuille de Prunier Sauvage”, published 1730

Maria Sibylla Merian (also known as Maria Sibylla Graff) (1647–1717)

“Plate XXXII: Feuille de Prunier Sauvage” (Plate XXXV: Leaf of a Wild Plum Tree), from the original 1679–1683 plates; published 1730.

Contextual Commentary:

This is a rare and truly remarkable engraving from the early posthumous Dutch edition, hand-coloured as issued. While printed in 1730, it strikes directly from the original copperplates etched and engraved by Merian's own hand during her lifetime. Merian was a pioneering artist-naturalist whose groundbreaking empirical research proved that caterpillars were not "beasts of the devil" born spontaneously from mud, but rather a vital stage in the stunning metamorphosis of butterflies and moths.

This plate, numbered 85 (LXXXV), appears in Maria Sibylla Merian’s “De Europische Insecten” (also known as “Der Raupen wunderbare Verwandelung, und sonderbare Blumennahrung” [The Wondrous Transformation of Caterpillars and their Strange Diet of Flowers]), published in Amsterdam in 1730 by J. F. Bernard. It illustrates her meticulous rearing observations of European lepidoptera along with their associated host plants

After Merian’s death in 1717, her daughters, Johanna Helena and Dorothea Maria—accomplished artists who had worked alongside her for decades—preserved her legacy. They inherited her original copperplates and continued to oversee the printing and intricate hand-colouring of her works. Having known Merian’s original watercolour studies and scientific aims intimately, they helped ensure that early posthumous editions remained faithful to her artistic standards.

The plate depicts the spectacular development of the Black-veined White butterfly (Aporia crataegi) showing the gregarious striped larvae, its distinct girdled pupa fixed to the stem, and the translucent wings of the adult butterflies. Merian notes that these caterpillars are frequently found feeding on the leaves of wild fruit trees and thorny brakes.

Although the plate is inscribed “feuille de Prunier sauvage”—in translation: “leaf of a wild plum tree”—the exact species corresponds to the Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa). In the accompanying text description of this plant, two names are given for it in the title: “Slee-Pruim-Bladeren” (Blackthorn Leaves) and “Pruni sylvestris folia” (Leaves of the wild plum).

Regarding the edition size, Florence F. J. M. Pieters and Diny Winthagen (1999) note in their commemorative essay marking the 350th anniversary of Merian’s birth: “… her books were very rare, editions probably not exceeding 100 copies, and consequently very expensive for scientists — especially the coloured copies: the subscription prices of a coloured versus an uncoloured copy of her book on Surinam insects were 45 and 15 Dutch guilders” (p. 10). They also note that “the pay of a Dutch ocean-going sailor came to 9 guilders a month during the entire seventeenth and eighteenth centuries” (op. cit.).

Technical Details & Condition:

Engraving on buff-coloured laid paper, printed from Maria Sibylla Merian’s original copperplate and hand-coloured in the 1730 edition. The colouring is traditionally attributed to, or believed to have been closely supervised by, Merian’s daughters, and is executed with great skill in a historically faithful palette.

The impression is strong and near-flawless, with luminous, richly applied hand-colouring. Aside from age toning—mainly confined to the margins—and a dot stain above the pupa/cocoon elements depicted at lower left, the sheet is in good condition for its age with no tears, folds, or holes.

Dimensions:

• Sheet (slightly unevenly trimmed): 22 x 15.5 cm
• Platemark: 14.9 x 11.1 cm

In-Plate Lettering:

• Upper right corner “LXXXV”
• Lower right: “feuille de Prunier sauvage”

References:

• Florence F.J.M. Pieters & Diny Winthagen, “Maria Sibylla Merian, Naturalist and Artist (1647–1717): A Commemoration on the Occasion of the 350th Anniversary of her Birth”, 1999, Archives of Natural History, — Available via UvA-DARE (Digital Academic Repository): https://pure.uva.nl/ws/files/956970/80552_327018.pdf 
• Maria Sibylla Merian, “De Europischen insecten …”, 1730, Amsterdam, J.F. Bernard, facing p. 42 — Available via Archive.org: https://archive.org/details/Europischeninse00Meri/page/42/mode/2up

Price & Shipping:

AU$313 (approximately US$219.99 / €196.05 / £164.49), including worldwide express shipping. Import duties and taxes (if any) are the buyer’s responsibility.

To acquire this exceptionally rare engraving, printed from one of Merian’s original copperplates and hand-coloured as issued, please contact oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com. Secure payment is handled via PayPal invoice for a smooth, protected transaction.

Please note: To show the print's intricate details as clearly as possible, the scan contrast has been digitally enhanced. Consequently, the image tones may not be a perfectly faithful representation of the subtilties of the print.

This print has been sold