Bekking & Blitz – Maria Sibylla Merian, Rijksmuseum Amsterdam

The Rijksmuseum has acquired a first edition of Maria Sibylla Merian’s Metamorphosis Insectorum Surinamensium, her illustrated natural history of Suriname. Published in 1705, it is Merian’s masterpiece and a historic high of Dutch book production in the 18th century.

German-born artist and naturalist Maria Sibylla Merian (1647-1717) had an exceptional eye for the beauty of insects, which she captured in detailed drawings. She was the first person to record the transformation of the caterpillar into a butterfly in its natural habitat.

Available at Bekking & Blitz from January 2026