MERIAN TRUMPET VASE

Lavish florals by botanical scientist and consummate artist Maria Sibylla Merian (1647-1717) inspired this
fantasy of tiger lilies, thistles, irises, roses, morning glories and carnations, enlivened by decorative butterflies and moths. Twenty-three separate colors are required to realize this sumptuous design bordered with cobalt bands accented with delicate gold filigree and intricate scrolled floriform linked chains.
Maria Sibyla Merian’s widely known 1685 volume of botanical and entomological illustrations inspired the center motif on an original (circa 1725) Chinese export plate in Mildred Mottahedeh’s personal collection. The Merian Service is based on this and other floral motifs found in that book. Merian was unusual for her day, first as a woman who was studying the transformation of insects and not specifically the flowers she painted so beautifully. Raised enamels in 23 rich colors accented in gold filigree make this a timeless classic. Each flower design is painted differently for the piece on which it sits making this an art collector’s choice.
Learn more about its provenance and start a great conversation at dinner.