Turning the Book Wheel, the tumblr of the Smithsonian Library, provided the link for
Metamorphosis insectorum surinamensium...
and noted that
Maria Sibylla Merian (1647-1717)... was fascinated with insects and the metamorphosis of caterpillars into butterflies. Trained as a painter, she beautifully depicted her observations about the life-cycle of insects. Her illustrations show not just the insects’ transformation, but the important role specific plants have in sustaining the animal during the various stages of development.
I love classic scientific illustration. Ernst Haeckel's work was also gorgeous.
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