Maria Sibylla Merian: Researcher, artist, author, fascinating woman. In 1699, 100 years before Humboldt's journey, Maria Sibylla Merian set off to South America with her daughter Dorothea. The goal of their three-month sea voyage was the Dutch colony of Suriname, where the dedicated naturalist was to discover, draw, and classify previously unseen flowers, butterflies, and other animals. For the first time, a woman embarked on such an expedition into the unknown. After nearly two years, the devout researcher returned to Amsterdam and published the unique work "Metamorphosis Insectorum Surinamensium" in 1705. These beautifully illustrated and colored engravings describe the metamorphoses of butterflies and were not only a genuine bestseller in their time but also laid the foundation for research to this day.