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Half height banner for Maria Merian exhibition, showing a butterfly
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MARIA SIBYLLA MERIAN (1647-1717)

Branch of Cardinal's Guard with Idomeneus Giant Owl Butterfly

1702-03

RCIN 921220

‘In January 1701’, Merian recorded, ‘I set out into the forest of Suriname to see if I could discover anything’. On her expedition, she found the caterpillar of the Idomeneus Giant Owl Butterfly (Caligo idomeneus). She took a specimen home with her and reared it into a ‘beautiful’, ‘gleaming’ butterfly which she illustrated as the last plate of her book.

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