History Gallery

Marianne North at her easel, circa 1883

Photograph of Marianne North (1830-1890), botanical artist, pictured here in Grahamstown, South Africa circa 1883.
Marianne North generally travelled unaccompanied, an extraordinary feat for a Victorian lady, only occasionally using letters of introduction to enable her to stay with the associates of those she met on her travels. Between 1871 and 1879, she visited Canada, the United States, Jamaica, Brazil, Japan, Sarawak, Singapore, Java, Sri Lanka and India. In 1880, Marianne met Charles Darwin, whom she regarded as the greatest man living, the most truthful as well as the most unselfish and modest'. On his suggestions, she set off on a further voyage, this time encompassing Australia and New Zealand. In 1882 she visited Africa, the final continent left unrepresented in her work

© The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Lycaste aromatica, 1827

Illustration of Lycaste aromatica by Robert Kaye Greville and engraved by Joseph Swan. Artwork from Exotic flora: containing figures and descriptions of new, rare or otherwise interesting exotic plants...with remarks upon their generic and specific characters, natural orders, history, culture, time of flowering by William Jackson Hooker, 1827; volume 3, t. 219

© The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

William Aiton (1731-1793)

Portrait of William Aiton (1731-1793), holding a plant in his right hand (species of Aitonia), and a magnifying glass in his left

© RBG Kew

Art And Illustrations, Illustration Or Artefact, Oil, Painting, Person Or Group