One of my all time favorite botanical illustrators, Maria Sibylla Merian (1647-1717). I'm also a big fan of Elizabeth Blackwell (1707-1858), a Scottish (of course) illustrator and author who created "A Curious Herbal." Tough to find her work but can see it online at the British Library. Her story is pretty amazing. Married to a rotter (my opinion) who was in prison for pretending he had guild credentials. She worked with him while he was in prison to create the engravings for the book to pay his gaol fines. He got out and then left her and their daughter behind. Was eventually hung for treason. #Repost @theillustratedlife_ with @repostapp.・・・From the German book Das kleine Buch der Tropenwunder (1935). Illustrated by German naturalist and scientific illustrator Maria Sibylla Merian (1647-1717).#illustration #books #vintagebooks #vintageillustration #vintage #nature #naturalhistory #retrobooks #retroillustration #retro #illustrationart #insects #insectsofinstagram