Boris Friedewald – författare

A woman ahead of her time, Maria Sibylla Merian (1647-1717) was an intrepid explorer, naturalist and scholar, as well as a magnificent artist. This lovely, impeccably designed book tells Merian's incredible life story alongside colourful reproductions of her engravings and watercolours of the butterflies she encountered during her lifetime in Germany and the Netherlands and her seminal trip to the Dutch colony of Surinam. The book recounts Merian's monumental expedition, her work as an advocate for the slave laborers of Surinam and her important studies of the anatomy and life cycle of the butterfly. Author Boris Friedewald employs Merian's favourite insect as a metaphor for the artist's own pioneering evolution from budding entomologist to educator, activist and artist. A visual treasure as well as a satisfying read, this exquisite volume is the perfect gift for anyone interested in Merian's amazing life and groundbreaking body of work.

Since the inception of photography as an art form nearly two hundred years ago, women have played an important role in the development of the genre, often pushing boundaries and defying social convention. This comprehensive volume features sixty of the most important women photographers—including, new to this edition, Annette Kelm, Miho Kajioka, and Ming Smith. Every artistic style and genre is represented here: moody and haunting portraits by Julia Margaret Cameron and Diane Arbus; highly personal images from Nan Goldin and Sally Mann; worldchanging documentary photographs by Dorothea Lange and Berenice Abbot; scenes of everyday life from Lisette Model and Helen Levitt; fashion shoots from Lillian Bassman and Ellen von Unwerth. Splendid reproductions of key works and an in-depth overview of each artist’s career and their contributions to the art of photography are featured along with biographical information and a contextual essay focusing on the impact of women in the history of the medium, which makes this an excellent illustrated reference.