The artwork, titled “Spectacled Caiman (Caiman crocodilus) and a False Coral Snake (Anilius scytale),” was created by Maria Sibylla Merian circa 1705 to 1710. This piece belongs to the Naturalism movement and falls under the genre of animal painting. It currently resides in the Royal Collection at Buckingham Palace in London, UK.
The artwork meticulously portrays a spectacled caiman and a false coral snake, capturing the intricate details and textures of their scales and skin. The caiman is depicted at the bottom, showcasing its characteristic spectacled eyes and robust body, while the false coral snake is elegantly coiled around the caiman, its vibrant red, black, and yellow bands providing a striking contrast against the caiman’s more subdued coloration. The background is kept simple, allowing the viewer’s focus to remain on the lifelike representation of these two creatures. Through meticulous attention to detail and rich coloration, Merian exemplifies the principles of Naturalism, emphasizing realistic and precise depictions of the natural world.
