Marianne North Gallery

The Californian Wild Flowers / California wildflowers.

Marianne North (1830-1890) was the eldest daughter of Frederick North, Member of the English Parliament for Hastings. She began traveling with her father in 1855 after her mother's death. In 1869, her father dies, and Marianne sets off on an independent journey, sketching the local flora and fauna on her travels. She traveled around the world and visited 17 countries, capturing all continents.
At the suggestion of Charles Darwin, with whom she was friends and who highly appreciated her work, she went to Australia and New Zealand. She made it to South Africa, Seychelles and Chile. But then travel was the lot of the strong and persistent, and very few women dared to travel, especially independent. By the way, Marianna picked up the brush closer to 40 years old.