The Maria Sibylla Merian Society
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1692-06-28 City Archives Amsterdam, Notice of Marriage Register (ondertrouwboek), archive nr. 5001, inventory nr. 697, p. 366: Jacob Hendrik Henrolt en Johanna Helena

https://archief.amsterdam/inventarissen/scans/5001/2.2.38/start/180/limit/10/highlight/7

In this archival record Jacob Hendrik Herolt and Johanna Helena give notice of their upcoming marriage. Herolt is 32 and lives in the Vijselstraat in Amsterdam and has no parents. Johanna Helana is 25, also lives in de Vijselstraat and is assisted by her mother Maria Sibylla Merian. It is stated that they do not know if her father is dead or alive and that his consent is not needed. Interestingly, in the upper left corner the word ‘Wiewert’ is written, the place where Maria Sibylla Merian and her daughters stayed in the Labadist community. This might refer to the fact that Herolt and Johanna Helena were already married there but this was not recognized by the official church. 

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Wiewert                                        Den 28 Junij 1692:
Compareerden als voren Jacob Hendrik Herolt, Van Baggerach.
oud 32 Jaarn in de Vijselstraat ouders doot geassi[steer]t met
Antonetta Spiering & Johanna Helena Graeff, van Franko-
fort amMijn oud 25 jaarn Woont als voorn geassi[steer]t met haar
Moed[e]r Maria Sibilla Merian de vad[e]r in Duijtsland maar weeten
niet of leeft of doot is

[printed general text]

……………………………………………………………..Jacob Henrik Herolt. 
……………………………………………………………. Johanna Helena Graff

[in kantlijn: sij vad[er]s consent
gerojeert]

 

1692: Advertisment Amsterdamse Courant 05-08-1692, p. 2.

Consulted on Delpher on 10-11-2022, https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=MMSAA06:165523098:mpeg21:p00002

This advertisement was published in the Amsterdam Newspaper on 5 August 1692. Jacob Hendrik Herolt (ca. 1660-1715), the husband of Merian’s oldest daughter, Johanna Helena Graff (1668-1730), offers Merian’s work and other items. Listed are: 1. Merian’s two Raupenbucher published in Germany, ‘black printed’ or illuminated; 2. Merian’s Flower Book in three parts published in Germany, ‘printed’ and illuminated; 3. A Flower Book with 50 sheets of parchment painted after life ‘for the special enthusiast’; it is stated that this book is mentioned in the biography of Joachim Sandrart. 4. Another Flower Book painted on paper by Merian’s daughter (Johanna Helena). 5. The book Hortus Eystettensis by the Nuremberger apothecary and botanist Basilus Besler published in 1613, illuminated after life. It is not mentioned that this is done by M.S. Merian, but that seems likely. 6. A book with ‘Albertiners’ work, 124 pieces. (unclear); 7. Miscellaneous drawings by Johan H. Roosen. Furthermore, offered are paintings by several ‘distinguished masters’ and lessons in drawing or painting flowers for ‘daughters’ (young girls).

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t’Amsterdam in de nieuwe Vyselstraet, aen de Oost-zyde van de Heere gragt, beneffens de Bakker die op de hoek woont, zyn te koop by
Jacob Hendrik Herolt, P. de Observatien der Rupsen en Wormen, hare veranderinge, voedsel en voortplantinge, swart gedrukt en met Ver-
wen afgeset in twee deelen, door Maria Sybilla Merian. 2. Een Bloemboek gedrukt en met Verwen afgeset, bequaem voor de jeugt om Bloemen
daer na te nayen of teykenen te leeren, door deselve in dry deelen. 3. Nog voor Particuliere Liefhebbers een Bloemboek van 50 Bladen na het
leven, op Parquement geschildert door deselve, waer van Joachim Sandra in zyn boek van de Architecteur en het lieven der Konstenaers men-
tie maekt. 4. Een ander Bloemboek op Pampier na het leven geschildert, door haer dochter. 5. Hortus Eystettensis of Opera Basilii Besleri na
het leven, met Verwen afgeset. 6. Een Boek waer in Albertiners geheele werk is, bestaende uyt 124 stukken. 7. Allerley Teykeninge van Johan
H: Roosen. Verder zyn by hem te bekoomen allerley Schilderyen, waer onder verscheyde van voorname Meestes gemaekt zyn, soo ymant
genegen was zyn dochter te laten leeren Bloemen teykenen, of in waterverwe Schilderen, sal van de zyne getrouwelyk onderwesen worden.

 

1699 Amsterdamse Donderdaegse Courant  no. 19, 12-02-1699

Consulted on Delpher on 19-11-2022. https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=MMSAA06:166469019:mpeg21:p00002. The advertisement also appeared in the Extraordinaire Haerlemse Courant, 10-02-1699 (https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=ddd:011227094:mpeg21:p002).

This advertisement was published in the Amsterdam Newspaper on 12 February 1699, in the year Merian and her youngest daughter travelled to Surinam. Offered for sale is a collection of 253 sheets of parchment in folio, depicting plants, flowers, and observations of insects with descriptions, and also depictions of  West- and Eat-Indian plants and ‘small animals’ with descriptions. It is stated that these were collected by Merian with great costs and trouble in the last thirty years in Germany, Holland and Friesland. Also two smaller works are offered and a hand-colored copy of the Hortus Eystanstes, which was also offered in the advertisement of 05-08-1692. Finally, a hundred etched copper plates are offered.

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Tot Amsterdam is uyt’er hand te Koop, in de Kerk-straet, by de Spiegel-straet, in de Roose-tak een uytmuntent, konstig en curieus Werck van
Maria Sibille Merian, bestaende in rare Kruyden, Bloemen, Vruchten, &c. met de observatie daer by van bloedelose beestjes, ider sittende op haer
voetsel, alle met waterverf (na ’t leven met coleuren extraordinary konstig op Perkement in folio) geschildert: Mitsgaders Oost- en West-Indi-
sche planten en beesjes met de beschrijvinge, door de bovengenoemde met groote kosten en moeite over de 30 Jaren vergadert, soo in Duytsland,
Holland, en Vriesland, bestaende in 253 bladen, neffens 2 andere werken van kleender formaet; en Hortus Eystattensis compleet, beschreven en af-
geset, en 100 ge-etste kopere Platen; mede te bevragen by Jan Pietersz. Zómer, Maeklaer in de Zout-steeg. 

 

1703: Advertisement Oprechte Haerlemse Courant 1703-11-15

Consulted on Delpher on 17-11-2022, https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=ddd:011221053:mpeg21:p004.

This advertisement was published in the Haarlem Newspaper on 15 November 1703. Merian offers one third of the prints of her Surinam work. Apparently, one third of the prints (20 of 60) were finished at that time.  It is mentioned, that the original drawings and the printed versions, as well as the real ‘natural animals’, can be seen at Merian’s house. See also the essay of Hans Mulder on this website. 

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Wert bekent gemaekt, dat het ongemeene Werck van M. Sibille Merian, genaemt Surinaemsse Insecta Observatien (bestaende in on-
gemeene Vlinder-Gediertens, als Nacht- en Dag-Kapellen, nevens hare Veranderingen uyt Rupsen en Poppen, behalven voor veel andere rare
Dieren van den Natuur) tegenwoordig soo verre is voltoyt, dat een volkomen derde Gedeelte, ’t geen voor een geheel Werck kan strek-
ken, wert verkocht by de Boek- en Prent-Verkopers in de voornaemste Steden. NB. : De Originelen en Gedruckte, als mede de Natuur-
lijke Beesjes konnen by d’Autheur alle Dagen 1 Uur voor den Avont gesien werden in de Nieuwe Spiegelstr: in de Rose-Tak t’Amsterdam.

 

1704: Advertisement Amsterdamse Courant 24-04-1704

Consulted on Delpher op 10-11-2022, https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=ddd:010707971:mpeg21:p002

This advertisement was published in the Amsterdam Newspaper on 24 April 1704. Merian offers to show examples from her Surinam book to (potential) buyers or subscribers. Half of the envisioned sixty plates are now finished. The content of the depictions is described and the places where people can turn to for a subscription are given: Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Leiden, Middelburg and The Hague.

click here to see text

Maria Sibylla Merian presenteert aen alle curieuse Liefhebbers haer ongemeen Surinaems Insectenwerk, ’t zy Koopers of Inschryvers, door haer
selven in America geobserveert, bestaende in allerley Gewormtens, hoe deselve in nagt en dag Kapellen, Torren, Byen en Vliegen veranderen,
elk op sijn eygen voedsel, als Kruyden, Bloemen, Vruchten, bestaende uyt 60 kopere Platen, waer van over de helft gereed, en de rest onderhanden is. Wie genegen is in te schryven word versogt zich te spoeden, welke inschryvingen geschied in Amsterdam, by den Autheur in de nieuwe Spiegel-
straet, in de Roosen-Tak, ten huyse van J:H: Herolt, G: Valk, H: Wetstein, W: de Coup, en J: Pietersz Somer, Rotterdam P: vander Veer, Leyden
Cornelis Bourestein, Middelburg J: Pietersz. in Koffihuys, Haeg Anna Beek, in de Pooten.

 

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.

MERIANIN.DE: NEW INTRIGUING WEBSITE WITH FOCUS ON MERIAN’S NUREMBERG PERIOD 1668-1682

www.merianin.de
The beautifully illustrated website on Merian developed by Margot and Dieter Lölhöffel is a rich resource based on years of work in their home city of Nuremberg. In this city she started her carreer with the help of her husband and many people in her cultural network. In German and English, the site presents detailed information on Merian’s life, including high resolution images from archives not previously published. The page on ‘Nuremberg Works’ includes links to digital copies of several of her early works- just one example of the sources provided in this valuable addition to Merian studies. Furthermore, it connects the work of the 'first ecologist' with current projects in Nuremberg protecting insects and biodiversity.

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.