Tulip, Two Branches of Myrtle and Two Shells, Maria Sibylla Merian (attributed to), 1657 - 1717

Tulip, Two Branches of Myrtle and Two Shells, Maria Sibylla Merian (attributed to), 1657 - 1717

opaque and transparent watercolour, over traces of graphite, on vellum, h 336mm × w 240mm Catalogue entry

This sheet is likely a work by Maria Sibylla Merian, a celebrated artist and natural scientist. She struck a pleasing balance between the artistic and the scientific. The peeled-back tulip petal overlapping the myrtle branch on the right adds a sense of depth and dynamism to the overall flat arrangement meant for scholarly observation.

Catalogue entry