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All the United Kingdom England London Marianne North Gallery at Kew Gardens

Marianne North Gallery at Kew Gardens

A gallery specifically dedicated to the botanical illustrations of a remarkable traveling lady.

London, England

Added By
Annetta Black
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Marianne North Gallery at Kew Gardens   Wikimedia
Marianne North Gallery at Kew Gardens   Wikimedia
Nepenthes northiana by Marianne North   Marianne North
  Steve 55 / Atlas Obscura User
  Steve 55 / Atlas Obscura User
  Wattagoodboy / Atlas Obscura User
Marianne North Gallery at Kew Gardens   Wikimedia
Marianne North in Mrs Cameron’s house in Ceylon, c. 1877   Wikimedia
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About

Despite all of her exotic travels, the "huntress of flowers" wrote in her memoirs, "No life is so charming as a country one in England, and no flowers are sweeter or more lovely than the primroses, cowslips, bluebells, and violets that grow in abundance all around me here."

Marianne North spent her life in pursuit of plants, and dedicated her skills into painting them. Over the course of her extensive travels which began in 1871, she documented over 900 species of plants, from North America to Asia, India to South America.  In 1880, on the suggestion of Charles Darwin, she traveled to Australia and New Zealand, painting many of their unique species.

This extraordinary gallery opened specially to hold her work in 1882. It has since been refurbished, and is a truly gorgeous temple to plant life, as well as the only permanent gallery dedicated to a single female artist's works in Britain.

The restoration of the building in 2009 included restoration of her 833 paintings, including one, hidden behind a Victorian era backing board, that the gardens and curators had never seen before.

Related Tags

Flora Art Botanical Illustration Woman Explorers Plants

Community Contributors

Added By

Annetta Black

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Rachel, hrnick, racheldoyle, rbenn250...

  • Rachel
  • hrnick
  • racheldoyle
  • rbenn250
  • Steve 55
  • Wattagoodboy

Published

December 1, 2013

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Sources
  • http://www.bbc.co.uk/arts/yourpaintings/artists/marianne-north
  • http://www.hastingspress.co.uk/history/19/north.htm
  • http://www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening/5012141/Marianne-North-The-flower-huntress.html
  • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marianne_North
Marianne North Gallery at Kew Gardens
London, England, TW9 3AG
United Kingdom
51.483823, -0.295017
Visit Website

Nearby Places

Water Dragons of Kew Gardens

London, England

miles away

The London Museum of Water & Steam

London, England

miles away

The Taskmaster’s House

London, England

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of London

London

England

Places 549
Stories 110

Nearby Places

Water Dragons of Kew Gardens

London, England

miles away

The London Museum of Water & Steam

London, England

miles away

The Taskmaster’s House

London, England

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of London

London

England

Places 549
Stories 110

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A Botanical Mystery Solved, After 146 Years

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The Victorian Gentlewoman Who Documented 900 Plant Species

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The Radical Victorian Lady behind an Essential Collection of Botanical Art

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