Maria+Merian

 Maria Merian April 2, 1647 – January 13, 1717



Maria Merian was a naturalist and scientific detailed illustrator living in Nuremberg who studies plants and insects to contribute greatly to entomology (branch of zoology that studies insects). Her works affect us today because her work is still being rediscovered and recognised for example her portrait has appeared on a .40 DM stamp and many schools are named after her, her classification of butterflies and moths is still relevant today, and her drawings of plants, snakes, spiders, iguanas and tropical beetles are still collected today by amateurs all over the world.

Marian Merian believed that the theory on "spontaneous generation of rotting mud" was wrong so she carried on and studied the transformation of catipillars to butterflies developing the correct theory of metamorhpisis while she drew the transformation in her sketch book. These sketches turned into her first book sold in 1675 which was //Neues Blumenbuch--New Book of Flowers,// then in 1678 her second book was sold which was called //Der Raupen wunderbare Verwandlung und sonderbare Blumennaahrung--The Caterpillar,Marvelous Transformation and Strange Floral Food.// The first book was more on just the transformation into the butterfly, but the second was the development of butterflies and the plants they fed on. Maria Merian used Native American names to refer to the plants, which became used in Eurpope: "I created the first classification for all the insects which had chrysalises, the daytime butterflies and nighttime moths. The second classification is that of the maggots, worms, flies and bees. I retained the indigenous names of the plants, because they were still in use in America by both the locals and the Indians". This is a quote of Marian Merian from "Metamprphosis insectorium Surinamensium". __** **__  HERO  __**
 * __ Metamorphosis of Thysania agrippina
 * __ Plate taken from Metamorphosis Insectorum Surinamensium __**

   __WANTED__   Marian Merian is wanted for going against the Greek tradition of spontaneous generation. This is something that shouldn’t have been messed with and she came in being a woman and took it right out from under us and proved us wrong. The fact that caterpillars form into butterflies is ridiculous and she must of stolen this idea from some other scientist. She is just trying to show us up with all of her fancy drawings in her sketchbook. Maria Merian is also being charged for leaving her husband with her daughter and mother. This is not an okay thing to do and we think she did it just because she found out about metamorphosis before anybody else did. If you see her please be in contact with us at 1-800-geter-done and there will be a cash reward, but if you find her handle with care she could be dangerous.
 * Maria Merian is here by awarded the Botanic Artist of the Year Award __ for her understanding of the metamorphosis stages and being able to put them onto paper after all of her observations. She published three collections of engravings in plants in 1675, 1677 and 1680. Afterwards she studied insects, keeping her own live specimens, and made drawings about insect metamorphosis. It was very different that she found such interest with insects because this was very unlike people back then because they considered insects, “beasts of the devil.” She managed to pick up her family and move when she was leaving her husband and still be able to maintain such great work and discoveries. Although she is not very famous for what she did she is one of the most intelligent free willed female scientists.

Notebook Activity: After reading about Maria Merian and her achievements, create an acoustic poem using her life and work. Each letter must be paired with a phrase to describe something about Maria Merian….For Example: __**__ M etamorphosis A rtist R an from husband I ntelligent A rt

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