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