Hand-coloured plate of a grapevine with a bunch of blue grapes, green leaves, curling tendrils, a caterpillar, a cocoon and a sphinx moth

Small repeat of the grapevine plate with blue grapes, vine leaves, a caterpillar and a sphinx moth — Inside: four of your photos stand up below this, with your note.

No. 59 of 248 · The Natural History Series

Grapevine and Sphinx Moths

Design this card$13.00~~$18.00~~

Maria Sibylla Merian's grapevine hangs heavy with blue grapes, with a sphinx moth, its caterpillar and cocoon drawn on the very vine that feeds them. Merian sailed to Suriname at the age of 52 to paint insects alongside the plants they live on, and this plate comes from her book of 1705. For someone who loves nature, gardens or old botanical art.

Add four of your own photos and your own words; we print the card in the US and post it for you.

On the back

From the great natural-history books of the 1700s to the 1900s / Grapevine and Sphinx Moths / Vitis / Sphinx moths are among the fastest insects, hovering at flowers like hummingbirds. Merian drew the caterpillar on the same vine that feeds it. / Metamorphosis insectorum Surinamensium, 1705 / Maria Sibylla Merian sailed to Suriname at 52 to draw insects with the plants they feed on.

A card for

More from The Natural History Series

See all 141 cards in The Natural History Series