Study in Attention — Ananas comosus (c. 1705)

Engagement is sustained through disciplined containment rather than narrative complexity.

The composition holds abundance within a narrow frame of control, allowing detail to surface gradually through observation rather than immediacy. Structural restraint—clear hierarchy, limited repetition, and deliberate spacing—directs attention toward the act of looking itself, positioning method and precision as the primary sources of meaning.

Each work is produced as a hand-numbered limited edition of 50, printed on heavyweight matte paper and finished with a UV protective coating for long-term stability.

The piece is mounted in a white or black frame with an acid-free white mat and arrives ready to hang. Multiple sizes are offered as format options within the same edition.

Every work includes an IkonHaus Certificate of Authenticity.

Study in Attention — Ananas comosus (c. 1705) is an early eighteenth-century work by Maria Sibylla Merian, created as part of her groundbreaking study Metamorphosis Insectorum Surinamensium.

Rather than presenting the pineapple as novelty or ornament, Merian renders it through disciplined observation—its structure, surface, and surrounding life examined with clarity and restraint. Working without institutional backing in a period when scientific authority was rarely afforded to women, Merian built her practice through patience, precision, and sustained looking. This composition reflects that approach. Abundance is held in balance by control, and visual richness is shaped by method rather than spectacle.

The work introduces a measured, contemplative presence anchored by a strong vertical axis and controlled visual field.

The pineapple’s upright form establishes stability, while the surrounding insects create a subtle orbital movement that sustains attention without agitation. Over time, the composition settles into familiarity, rewarding slow looking through balance, spacing, and fine linework rather than visual density. In a space, the piece grounds rather than activates, offering clarity and steadiness without visual noise.

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Study in Attention — Ananas comosus (c. 1705)

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