Lot 373
  • 373

JOHANNA HELENA HEROLT-GRAFF | Flowers with a ladybird, caterpillar, butterfly and other insects

Estimate
7,000 - 9,000 GBP
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Description

  • Johanna Helena Herolt-Graff
  • Flowers with a ladybird, caterpillar, butterfly and other insects
  • Watercolour, with touches of gouache, over black chalk on vellum
  • 370 by 303 mm

Provenance

Sale, New York, Christie's, 26 January 2011, lot 299

Condition

Hinged to the mount at the upper margin. Overall in very good condition. The sheet is free from staining and the colours are strong and vibrant. The vellum has buckled and wrinkled in places.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Catalogue Note

Johanna Helena Herolt-Graff was the daughter of the German-born naturalist and scientific illustrator, Maria Sybilla Merian (1647-1717) who is perhaps most famous for the adventurous journey she undertook to Surinam, in 1699, to observe the exotic flora and fauna of the region. Johanna followed in her mother's footsteps, both literally, to Surinam, and artistically, producing attractive botanical studies such as this. The present drawing can be compared with a group of drawings by Herolt-Graff in the Herzog Anton Ulrich Museum in Braunschwieg.  The series was probably commissioned by the Mennonite Agneta Block (1629-1704), a prominent art collector and horticulturalist.