La pintura y la ciencia de María Sibylla Merian

Entre la arqueología del saber y el análisis de la teoría del punto de vista

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.35830/devenires.v27i53.1034

Keywords:

women's history, episteme, art, ecology

Abstract

In order to dimension the contributions of María Sibylla Merian to biology, particularly to the specialized fields of entomology and ecology, the notion of episteme that appears in Michel Foucault's Archaeology of Knowledge is used and complemented with the Standpoint Theory of the feminist epistemology championed by Nancy Hartsock and Patricia Hill-Collins. The text attempts to answer in what way does María Sibylla Merian break with the epistemological scheme proposed by Foucault? Is she capable of transgressing the Renaissance, classical, and modern episteme? How can Standpoint Theory explain her singularity? In response to these questions, it is found that Merian's liminal position allows her to make observations and explore the natural world without limitations. She transitions from the Renaissance episteme—through floral painting—to the classical episteme by observing trophic and interspecific relationships. She is also capable of catching a glimpse into the role of humans in the deforestation and destruction of Suriname's tropical rainforests.

Author Biography

Aída Atenea Bullen Aguiar, Instituto de Investigaciones en Ecosistemas y Sustentabilidad

Educadora ambiental. Técnica Académica de la Unidad de Comunicación y Educación Ambiental del Instituto de Investigaciones en Ecosistemas y Sustentabilidad, de la UNAM, campus Morelia. Cuenta con más de 25 años de experiencia en el campo de la educación formal, no formal e informal. Maestra en Administración Integral del Ambiente por El Colegio de la Frontera Norte y doctora en Ciencias Sociales por la Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, Xochimilco.

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Published

2026-01-16

How to Cite

Bullen Aguiar, A. A. (2026). La pintura y la ciencia de María Sibylla Merian: Entre la arqueología del saber y el análisis de la teoría del punto de vista. Devenires, 27(53). https://doi.org/10.35830/devenires.v27i53.1034

Issue

No. 53 (2026):

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Dossier

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