Marianne North

Marianne North was a Victorian biologist and botanical artist who travelled the world to paint flowers and plants in remote locations.This is a project to read and make notes on her autobiography, Recollections of a Happy Life.

Artwork

Over 800 oil paintings of botanical subjects and landscapes

What was radical about Marianne North wasn't just that she was a woman travelling solo around the world. She painted outdoors, in oil rather than watercolour, and took in the full context of her subjects rather than as isolated specimens. This has proved useful to later botanists trying to identify locations.

Ipomoea and Vavangue with Mahe Harbour in the distance

Wildflowers of Ceres, South Africa. 1882

Parasites on Beech Trees, Chile. 1880

Two Flowering Shrubs of Natal and a Trogon, 1882

Limestone Mountains of Sarawak, Borneo. 1876

Honeyflowers and Honeysuckers, South Africa. 1882

Biography

Born in 1830, North travelled around the world painting and has species named for her contributions to botany.

Marianne North was born on 24th October 1830 in Hastings. Her father became an MP and she travelled with him after her mother's death in 1855. In 1864 her sister married and her father lost his seat in parliament so naturally they spent even more time travelling. Her father died in 1869 and, as one does, she took off to travel extensively from 1871.These travels included Europe, Syria, Egypt, Canada, the United States, Jamaica, Brazil, Japan, Borneo, Java, Ceylon (Sri Lanka), India, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Seychelles, and Chile. Some visits were long: she spent over a year in Brazil, and again in India.Four species and a genus are named after her:

  • Areca northiana, a variety of palm tree

  • Chassalia northiana, a blue berried plant

  • Crinum northianum, a white bulbed flower

  • Kniphofia northiae, the giant red-hot poker

  • Nepenthes northiana, Borneo pitcher plant

  • Northia, a genus of flowering plants

North died on 30th August 1890, aged 59, having moved to Alderley, in Gloucestershire.

By her friend, Julia Margaret Cameron

Nepenthes northiana, or Miss North's pitcher-plant, found in Borneo

Recollections

North's autobiography, Recollections of a Happy Life, was published in 1894.

North's autobiography, Recollections of a Happy Life, and follow up, Some Further Recollections, were taken from her extensive journals. The first book was published in 1894, four years after North's death and edited by her sister, Janet Catherine Symonds.Recollections of a Happy Life and Some Further Recollections are available to read for free on the Internet Archive, including PDF and ePub versions.Below, you can find the Appendices, an ongoing cataloguing of my notes on the books. Which, really, is the purpose of all this.

Kew Gardens

North paid for the gallery and donated the 800 paintings still on display.

The Marianne North Gallery of Botanic Art at Kew Botanical Gardens was opened in 1882, and paid for by North herself. It houses over 800 of her paintings.More about Marianne North from Kew:

The Marianne North gallery at Kew

Bibliography

Books and articles about North, her art, travels, and legacy.

Aside from Recollections, there are several books wholly or in part featuring North and her work and lots of interesting articles.BooksAbundant Beauty: the adventurous travels of Marianne North botanical artist, introduction by Laura Ponsonby. It can be borrowed from Internet Archive for free.A Vision of Eden: The Life and Work of Marianne North is generally available secondhand on ebay for around £4.Links

About this site

A work in progress. Last updated: 4th August 2025. All images are public domain and available on WikiArt or Wikipedia. No cookies involved. Queer adventurer-friendly.

Appendices

Extra notes regarding Recollections. Long. Probably boring!

Note

Extra notes regarding Recollections. Long. Probably boring! In alphabetical order? In progress.