MARIA SIBYLLA, a celebrated paint- ress, born at Frankfort in 1647, was the daughter of Matthias Merian, a noted engraver and geographer.— As she showed a very great fondness for painting, she was instructed by Abraham Mignon; from whom she learned great neatness of handling and delicacy of col- our. Her genius particularly led her to paint reptiles, flowers, and insects, which she designed after nature, and studied every object with a most curious and in- quisitive observation; so that her works rose every day more and more into reputation. Frequently she paint- ed her subjects in water colours on vellum, and finish- ed an astonishing number of designs, as she was equally indefatigable in her work and in her inquiries into the curiosities of nature. She drew the flies and caterpil- lars in all the variety of changes and forms in which they successively appear from their quiescent state till they become butterflies; and also drew frogs, toads, ser- pents, ants, and spiders, after nature, with extraordinary exactness and truth. She even undertook a voyage to Surinam, to paint those insects and reptiles which were peculiar to that climate; and at her return to her own country published two volumes of engravings after her designs, which are well known to the curious. She died in 1717. Her daughter Dorothea Henrietta Graff, who painted in the same style, and had accompanied her mother to Surinam, published a third volume col- lected from the designs of Sibylla; which complete work has been always admired by the learned, as well as by the professors of painting.