MARIA SIBYLLA MERIAN (1647-1717)
Branch of Cardinal's Guard with Idomeneus Giant Owl Butterfly
1702-03RCIN 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.