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Admirable Women
@admirablewomen.bsky.social

Victorian artist & naturalist Marianne North (b. #OTD in 1830) defied gender norms to document global plant life. Over 14 years, she traveled solo across 6 continents and 15+ countries, creating a revolutionary visual archive of the natural world. #WomenInSTEM #Art #ArtSky

Admirable Women
@admirablewomen.bsky.social

North rejected delicate watercolors for vibrant oils, painting plants alive in their full habitats. She routinely climbed cliffs, trekked through wilderness, and camped for months in rainforests to find rare blooms. She traveled to Australia & NZ to capture primitive flora.

Admirable Women
@admirablewomen.bsky.social

Initially dismissed by male peers as a "decorative artist," her intense visual accuracy led to real scientific breakthroughs. She documented ~900 species; a genus (Northia) & the massive Bornean pitcher plant (Nepenthes northiana; she was the first non-local to find it 👇) bear her name. #WomenInSTEM

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Admirable Women
@admirablewomen.bsky.social

Opened in 1882 at Kew Gardens, the Marianne North Gallery holds 832 of her oil paintings. When denied permission to serve tea inside, she rebelliously painted tea and coffee plants on the doors. It is the only permanent solo female art exhibition in the #UK. #ArtHistory