Marianne North

Key facts

Lived

1831–1890, British^[5]

Movements

• landscape painting
• floral painting

^[5]

Works held in

5 museums^[1]

• Limestone Mountains of Sarawak, Borneo

  Marianne North Gallery

  London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, United Kingdom

  861 works

  

  Museum detailsMap
• River above Marble Rocks, Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, India

  Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Library, Art & Archives

  Kew Gardens, United Kingdom

  119 works

  

  Museum detailsMap
• 'Street of Hunting Cheetahs and Lynx. Ulwar. India 1878'

  British Library

  St Pancras, United Kingdom

  52 works

  Museum detailsMap

Plan your visit to see Marianne North →

• Did marianne north ever marry?+

  Marianne North considered marriage a terrible experiment. She never married, as her inheritance depended on her staying single.
• What is Marianne North's most famous work?+

  Marianne North (1830-1890^[5]) was an English biologist, botanical artist, and extensive traveller. Examples of her artwork include botanical studies from Ceylon (now Sri Lanka). She is also known as "My Aunt Mrs Marianne North painting in Mrs Cameron's house in Ceylon". North travelled alone to many countries in the Americas, Asia, and Africa over a period of years. She funded her expeditions through the sale of inherited property. She almost always depicted plants in their natural settings, and sometimes included insects and animals. After she presented a plan to the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew, a gallery was purpose-built to house her collection. The gallery opened in 1882^[5] and still displays more than eight hundred of her oil paintings.
• What should I know about Marianne North's prints?+

  Marianne North, a painter and naturalist, was photographed by Julia Margaret Cameron in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) in January 1877^[5]. Cameron, active as a photographer from 1864 to 1879, produced various prints, including portraits and allegorical scenes. She sold these through dealers such as P. & D. Colnaghi and William Spooner. Colnaghi, a leading print seller, often marked prints with a gold outline around the image. Spooner used a blind stamp reading "Registered Photograph". Cameron also diversified her sales by using additional vendors; in 1865, the royal household purchased five of her photographs from John Mitchell, a bookseller. To increase the value of her portraits, Cameron sometimes had notable sitters, such as Alfred Tennyson and John Herschel, sign the mounts. She also had signatures lithographed onto the mounts of portraits of Tennyson, George Frederic Watts, and others. In 1875, Cameron contracted the Autotype Company to produce carbon prints of about seventy of her images. Carbon prints were valued for their permanence and quality. However, due to a 40 percent commission charged by the Autotype Company, this venture was not financially successful for Cameron.
• What style or movement did Marianne North belong to?+

  Marianne North (1830-1890^[5]) was a Victorian artist best known for her botanical illustrations. Although she does not fit neatly into a single artistic movement, her work aligns with elements of botanical art and Victorian naturalism. Botanical art focuses on the accurate depiction of plants, often with scientific intentions. North's detailed paintings of flora from around the world certainly place her within this tradition. She travelled extensively, documenting plant life in locations such as Australia, South Africa, and India. Victorian naturalism, popular during her lifetime, aimed to portray subjects realistically and often incorporated scientific observation. North's art shares this emphasis on detail and accuracy. Her paintings were not just aesthetically pleasing; they also served as a visual record of the plant species she encountered. North's dedication to capturing the character of plants, rather than simply their shape, further connects her to the naturalist approach. Her unique contribution lies in the sheer volume and geographical scope of her botanical paintings, which provide a valuable resource for both art and science.
• What techniques or materials did Marianne North use?+

  Marianne North was a self-taught artist who primarily worked in oils on paper or board. Her method was direct and practical, suiting the demands of travel and on-site work. She prioritised accurate representation and scientific observation over stylistic innovation. North prepared her own materials. She primed paper and boards with a white ground, creating a smooth surface suitable for detailed work. She also built a lightweight, portable painting box to carry her supplies. This allowed her to work efficiently in diverse environments. North's approach was to paint directly from nature, capturing botanical details and the overall atmosphere of her surroundings. She aimed for botanical accuracy in her depictions of plants, which reflects her close association with scientific circles. Her direct method and careful preparation allowed her to create a substantial body of work, documenting plant life from many regions of the world. She left these paintings to the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
• What was Marianne North known for?+

  Marianne North (1830-1890^[5]) was an English biologist and botanical artist. She travelled extensively across the globe to paint plants and plant life. North created over 900 paintings during her travels. These paintings are valuable for their botanical detail and as records of plants from regions including North and South America, South Africa, and Asia. North's approach was unusual for the period. She chose to work in oils, rather than watercolours, which were more typical for botanical illustration. She also prioritised capturing plants in their natural settings. This was in contrast to the common practice of depicting isolated specimens. Upon her return to England, North gifted her collection to the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew. She also financed the construction of a gallery to house the paintings. The Marianne North Gallery opened in 1882^[5]. It remains open to the public today. The gallery provides a unique visual record of global flora from the late 19th century. North was unusual as a woman travelling alone, and for the scale of her artistic project.
• When did marianne north die?+

  Marianne North died in 1890^[5] at the age of 59.
• When did Marianne North live and work?+

  Marianne North (1830-1890^[5]) was a Victorian artist and botanist. She is known for her botanical illustrations, especially those she created during her extensive travels. Born in Hastings, England, North began painting flowers at a young age. After her mother's death in 1855^[5], she travelled with her father, a Member of Parliament. These journeys sparked her interest in documenting plants from around the world. Following her father's death in 1869, North embarked on a series of solo expeditions. Between 1871 and 1885, North visited and painted in numerous countries. These included the United States, Canada, Jamaica, Brazil, Japan, Singapore, Borneo, Java, Ceylon, and India. She aimed to capture the flora of these regions in their natural habitats. North's approach was unusual for the time, as she often depicted entire plant communities rather than individual specimens. Upon her return to England, North presented her collection to the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. She funded and designed a gallery to house her work, which opened in 1882. The Marianne North Gallery still exists at Kew Gardens^[4], displaying over 800 of her paintings.
• Where can I see Marianne North's work?+

  The Marianne North Gallery at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, is the main repository of her artistic output. Opened in 1882^[5], the gallery was purpose-built to house North's collection of 832 paintings. North herself oversaw the arrangement of the pictures, creating a dense, salon-style hang that reflected her travels and botanical interests. Beyond Kew, examples of North's work can be found in other institutions, though often in smaller numbers. These include the National Portrait Gallery, which holds a portrait of North by Henrietta Ward, and the Royal Society, which possesses a portrait by North of her father, John North. Some botanical gardens and herbaria may also hold individual paintings or studies by North, although these are less commonly on public display. Researchers should consult catalogues of botanical art collections for further locations. The Kew gallery remains the most comprehensive and accessible place to view North's artistic achievement.
• Where did marianne north travel?+

  Between 1871^[5] and 1885, Marianne North travelled to fifteen countries in fourteen years. She almost always travelled alone.
• Where was Marianne North from?+

  Marianne North was born in Hastings, England, on 24 October 1830. Her father, Frederick North, was a Justice of the Peace and Member of Parliament for Hastings. He came from a family with connections to the aristocracy; his grandfather, Brownlow North, served as the Bishop of Winchester. The North family's social position allowed Marianne access to education and travel opportunities, both of which shaped her career as a botanical artist. Her early life involved frequent travel throughout Europe with her family, developing her interest in plants and their environments. After her mother's death in 1855^[5], Marianne became her father's companion, continuing to travel extensively. These travels provided the foundation for her later, more ambitious, artistic expeditions to remote parts of the world. North remained unmarried and dedicated her life to painting and botanical study.
• Who did Marianne North influence?+

  Marianne North's influence can be seen in the work of other botanical artists and travellers. North's friend Annie Brassey, also from Hastings, shared her interest in worldwide travel and observation. Brassey, like North, took advantage of her social position to meet botanists and collectors. Brassey admired North's collection of drawings at Kew. Both women were received at the White House by President Ulysses S. Grant. North's work also galvanised the Australian artist Ellis Rowan. Rowan credited North with inspiring her to travel the world in search of flowers. In 1880^[5], Rowan greeted North upon her arrival in Albany, Western Australia, and hosted her in a cottage. Rowan admired North's genius and the speed with which she painted. North, in turn, described Rowan as a charming, fairy-like woman and admired her work. North's donation of her life's work to Kew Gardens^[4], where it opened in 1882, ensured her legacy as a botanical artist.