Folio Society’s magnificent huge volume that weighs over 12Kg, Maria Sibylla Merian (1647–1717) was a German illustrator turned naturalist who had a particular interest in insects, and was the first to determine the life cycle and metamorphosis of many species. She moved to Amsterdam when aged 44, and in 1699 travelled to the Dutch colony of Surinam in northeast South America to study and draw tropical insects. The result was 91 plates that were the first accurate record of many insects and plants from the region, and these plates now form the Surinam Album.
The 91 plates in the facsimile are printed full size on paper that is tipped onto the recto pages of the facsimile volume. Three loose art prints are also enclosed in a separate envelope, along with an 87 page commentary volume that gives the history and background of the drawings and the artist, as well as describing every plate individually.
The dark green solander box houses both volumes and the loose prints, and is 57x39.5x11.5cm. The limitation was 1000 copies.
The facsimile volume is quarter bound in dark green leather with image decorated light brown cloth sides. The commentary volume by Julie Harvey is bound in dark green cloth, has map endpapers of Surinam and a pictorial frontispiece.