The importance of Scientific Illustrations: Entomology & Continuing the Tradition as an Art Form By: Amber Tyler-Elliott
A brief history of Scientific Illustrations: Entomology
~The 1600s-1700s: -Maria Sibylla Merian (German) was one of the first naturalists to observe insects directly and illustrate them. -“I spent my time investigating insects. At the beginning, I started with silk worms in my home town of Frankfurt. I realized that other caterpillars produced beautiful butterflies or moths, and that silkworms did the same. This led me to collect all the caterpillars I could find in order to see how they changed.� -Maria Sibylla Merian - in the forward to Metamorphosis
-In 1675 she published her first collection of engravings which was “Neues Blumenbuch - New book of flowers� -After she died in 1717 a collection of her engravings was published to honor her great work: Erucarum Ortus Alimentum et Paradoxa Metamorphosis
Plate 1 from Metamorphosis in Surinam by Maria Sibylla Merian
Metamorphosis of a Butterfly (1705- Copper engraving) from Metamorphosis insectorum Surinamensium, Plate XX.
~The 1800s: -Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution has had a significant impact on the direction of entomological research. -His book called “The Decent of Man and Selection in Relation to Sex” was published in 1871. In this book he applies evolutionary theory to human evolution and details of his theory of sexual selection. It also includes Scientific Illustrations of Entomology that Darwin himself created. He too was interested in insects at a very young age.
~Today: -With the technology that we have now, that can take pictures in high definition and zoom in on something that is the size of a grain of salt, why continue illustrating when you can just capture it with a camera? -I think instead of completely replacing the scientific illustrations of entomology with the technology we have today, we should use this technology as a tool. It would enhance our perspective of these creatures and the possibilities become endless with what you can do beyond the traditional ways. -Scientific Illustrations of entomology and entomology itself can really be useful in many fields such as art and biology. You can capture so much more with knowledge about the subject you are recreating in an illustration. -Pictured are Entomological Macro portraits by Francesco Bagnato.
Continuing the Scientific Illustrations of Entomology using Tradigital techniques
-These are stone lithography prints of insects that I have produced while studying and observing the insects in person just like Maria Sibylla Merian, it’s called “Taxonomy Study.” -I bought these insects online and decided to pin them onto a piece of chipboard and scan it which I then used to make my print - I created 4 editions of the print; 1st edition: 8 on white canson paper, 2nd edition: 2 on cream canson paper, 3rd edition: 2 shiny metallic teal paper, 4th edition: 1 piece of wrapping paper.
Using Entomology to create Fine Art
-Throughout my “Taxonomy Study” project I have gained knowledge on how to pin insects to dry correctly and what I need to do to preserve and display these animals as works of art. I incorporated printmaking, sculpture and digital using these insects as the muse of my ‘Shadow Boxes Project -I took inspiration from the print to display the insects in uniquely crafted boxes, specific for each insect, and will be displayed on the wall in the same positions the insects are on the print.