Three Mice Nibbling Fruit and Nuts

Johanna Helena Herolt, Maria Sibylla Merian's (1647-1717) eldest daughter, was also a talented artist. She often collaborated with her mother and worked in a similar style, which can make it difficult to distinguish between the two women's drawings. In this sheet, which was previously attributed to Merian, the artist depicted mice nibbling on nuts and acorns, bringing together the plant and animal kingdoms. Although the three scenes are completely discrete, the dynamic composition imbues the image with a narrative quality. The white mouse gazes directly at the viewer, which creates a sense of engagement unusual for a scientific illustration. A closely related sheet, signed by both Herolt and Merian, is in a private collection. (For a reproduction, see Sam Segal, "Merian as a Flower Painter," in Kurt Wettengl, ed., Maria Sibylla Merian (1647-1717): Artist and Naturalist (Frankfurt am Main, 1998), p. 82.) Another version of this subject is in the Fondation Custodia, Paris (inv. no. 7535).