Abstract
Northwestern University’s Charles Deering McCormick Library of Special Collections owns three hand-colored copperplate engravings that once belonged to an edition of Matamorphosis Insectorum Surinamensium by artist-naturalist Maria Sibylla Merian (1647–1717). Because early modern prints are often colored by early modern readers, or modern collectors, it was initially unclear whether the coloring on these prints should be attributed to the print maker, to subsequent owners or collectors, or to an art dealer. Such ambiguities posed challenges for the interpretation of these prints by art historians. Therefore, the prints underwent multi-modal, non-invasive technical analysis to assess the date and material composition of the prints’ coloring. The work combined several different non-invasive analytical techniques: hyperspectral imaging (HSI), macro X-ray fluorescence (MA-XRF) mapping, surface normal mapping with photometric stereo, visible light photography, and visual comparative art historical analysis. As a result, the prints and paper were attributed to a late eighteenth-century posthumous edition of Merian’s work while the colorants were dated to the early twentieth century. This information enables more thorough contextualization of these prints in their use as teaching and research tools in the University collection.
Highlights
Metamorphosis Insectorum Surinamensium, first published by Maria Sibylla Merian (1647–1717) in Amsterdam in 1705, is among the most famous examples of early modern insect imagery
Metamorphosis contains inaccuracies, embellishments, and mistranslations, the images in the volume as a whole are unique for the depth of information that they provide about the flora and fauna of Suriname, for their vivid yet concise compositions, and, notably for this study, for the fact that they number among few early modern natural history prints to survive with original coloring
We propose the use of certain pigments on the basis of qualitative observation of macro X-ray fluorescence (MA-X-ray fluorescence (XRF)) maps, hyperspectral distribution maps and associated characteristic reflectance curves
Summary
Metamorphosis Insectorum Surinamensium, first published by Maria Sibylla Merian (1647–1717) in Amsterdam in 1705, is among the most famous examples of early modern insect imagery. The product of two years of research conducted on site in Suriname, the images in Metamorphosis constitute a landmark in the history of scientific imagery. They contain detailed portrayals of the different stages of metamorphosis of insects native to Suriname and they set these depictions of transformation in the insects’ botanical habitats. Metamorphosis contains inaccuracies, embellishments, and mistranslations, the images in the volume as a whole are unique for the depth of information that they provide about the flora and fauna of Suriname, for their vivid yet concise compositions, and, notably for this study, for the fact that they number among few early modern natural history prints to survive with original coloring
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