A watercolour and gouache floral still life by Maria Sibylla Merian, featuring a variety of flowers tied together with a purple ribbon. The artist's meticulous attention to detail is evident in the rendering of the leaves, stems, and blossoms.

This watercolour and gouache work on vellum is attributed to Maria Sibylla Merian, a German-Swiss naturalist and scientific illustrator. Born in Frankfurt, Merian is celebrated for her detailed depictions of insects and plants. Her meticulous observations and artistic skill contributed significantly to the fields of entomology and botany. She travelled to Suriname to study and document the insect life and flora of the region. Her work was published in 'Metamorphosis insectorum Surinamensium'. This piece features a variety of flowers arranged in a still life composition. A red flower with white stripes dominates the upper left, while a drooping blue-grey flower hangs gracefully to the right. Smaller red and orange blossoms add touches of colour throughout the arrangement. The flowers are tied together with a purple ribbon, adding a decorative element. The artist's attention to detail is evident in the rendering of the leaves and stems, as well as the inclusion of a small insect near the ribbon. The composition is set against a plain background, allowing the colours and forms of the plants to take centre stage.