The St. Petersburg Watercolours
- Publisher : Prestel
- Illustrations : col frontis, 20 col+b/w text illus, 196 col illus
Description:
Edited with an introduction by Eckhard Hollmann. In 1718 Tsar Peter the Great travelled to the Netherlands in search of works of art to include in his collection for the first museum he was to found in St. Petersburg. Maria Sibylla Merian's (1647-1717) watercolours came to his attention and he was so impressed with their vivid beauty that he acquired without hesitation. These magnificent watercolours have been kept at the Academy of Science in St. Petersburg for centuries. This beautifully produced volume now makes these works available to a broader audience for the first time. It includes 196 colour plates, originally painted on parchment, depicting flowers and plants, caterpillars and butterflies, minerals and fossils, snails, reptiles and other creatures.
Condition
A fine copy in d/w. In orig. slipcase.