MERIAN, Maria Sibylla (German, 1647-1717).
"Cerius Ex Curacao spciis variae" (Two Cereus Cactuses)
Watercolor on vellum.
c. 1690.
14" x 9 3/4" sheet, 23 1/2" x 19 1/4" framed.

Verso of frame contains a window with an inscription from Agnes Block: ?Cerius Ex Curacao spciis variae . 1687./d 4 of 5 hoeckige met grote dorens op de canten/ &ditto 6 & 7 cantig ront boven op de top ryug/ syn diversage soorten by myn Agmita Block [Cereus from Curacao, several species. 1687. The 4-or 5-angular one with big thorns on the edge, and the 6-or7- angular one round, with shaggy top, from a variety of species with me, Agnita Block]

The attribution to Maria Merian has been confirmed by Sam Segal. A letter from Segal is found on the verso of the framed watercolor. Segal writes: "Agnes (or Agnita) Block was born in Amsterdam in 1629, and died 1704. She was married with the Sybrant de Flines, with whom she resided in the country seat Vijverhof at Loenen (between Amsterdam and Utrecht), where she had a famous collection of exotic plants in the garden. She ordered the most important watercolor artists in Holland to paint the plants and flowers from her collection. Among these artists were Maria Sibylla Merian and her daughter Johanna Helena Herlot, Herman Hestenburgh, Herman Saftleven, and Pieter and Alida Withoos. Her annotations are often found on the reverse of the drawings, which have spread all over the world. Several are, for example, in the Pierpont Morgan Library, New York. An inventory list of the collection, which was sold to Valerius Rover in Delft, has survived, as well as part of her correspondence."