The Maria Sibylla Merian Society

Cromhouthuis Amsterdam: Highlights and Flowers

From 31 March to 18 June, the Cromhouthuis in Amsterdam will display an exhibition about Merian in the series 'Treasure Room Collections'. In two rooms original works of Merian from the collections of the University of Amsterdam are shown. The other rooms offer contextual information about her life and work, with themes like 'Amsterdam', 'network' and 'religion'. Some rooms show floral interpretations based on Merian's work by the florists of 'The Wunderkammer'. For more information click here.
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Museum Wiesbaden: Merian diorama’s

The Museum Wiesbaden exhibits until 9 July caterpillar dioramas, based on Merian’s research and art works. Nine glass domes enclose the life-cycles of European lepidopterans, as studied by Merian in her famous Raupenbuch (Caterpillar book) and the Studienbuch (study book). The museum holds in its collection some of the original insect preparations from the original collection of Merian. More information can be found here. Photo: © 2017 Museum Wiesbaden/Bernd Fickert

City Archives Nuremberg: Searching for Traces

Until 26 May the Nuremberg City Archives will display a small exhibition about Merian's time in the city of Nuremberg, where she lived and worked from 1668 until 1682. The exhibition includes information about important persons in her life in that period, including her husband, Johann Andreas Graff, and the painter, Joachim von Sandrart. The exhibition brings attention to the special places in Nuremberg where Merian conducted her research into caterpillars and butterflies. More information (in German) can be found here.

Online Expo: Johann Andreas Graff depicts the Old Town of Nuremberg

In 2017, the Förderverein Kulturhistorisches Museum of Nuremberg organized an exhibition about the life and works of the husband of Maria Sibylla Merian, Johann Andreas Graff (1636-1701). As a ‘city scape pioneer’ he depicted Nuremberg meticulously. The exhibition as well as the comprehensive catalogue were based on research into Merian, her family and her time in Nuremberg by Margot Lölhöffel. The Nuremberg Municipal Museums contributed with their rich collection of Graff’s works. After the end of the exhibition, the experts in this department of the Nuremberg city administration transformed it into a virtual presentation that is now online as a Google Arts & Culture Project. It offers a fascinating impression of the work of Graff and the town where Maria Sibylla lived for fourteen years. The presentation includes beautiful high resolutions images, and comes in two parts: part 1 about the Old Town around the St Sebald church and part 2 about the Old Town around the Lorenz church (click on blue bold text or image for link). The online exhibition was co-produced by Margot Lölhöffel, who shared the links with the Society.

Rijksmuseum Amsterdam: Ode to Merian

Until 13 June the Rijksmuseum print room presents an ode to Merian by the art historian Ella Reitsma. She made thirteen photomontages in which she combines early botanical drawings and prints by Merian and others with plants from her own garden. Also two important publications by Maria Sibylla Merian are shown, and a work by her grandfather Theodoor de Bry (1528-1598) and a work by her stepfather Jacob Marrel (1614-1681). More information can be found here.

City Library Nuremberg: Influences and Embroidery

In the exhibition 'Maria Sibylla Merian. Flowers, caterpillars, butterflies' the City Library of Nuremberg shows a selection of Merian's work from their collections. The exhibition also pays attention to the natural historians who influenced her, and those who were influenced by her. Additionally, rare examples of Marian's Blumenbuch are displayed. The exhibition also shows how her designs were translated into pieces of embroidery that were used for alba amicorum (“friendship books”). More information (in German) can be found here.