Lena Rivera
Marianne North was a prolific 19th-century traveller, painter, and botanist who defied Victorian conventions to pursue her ambition of painting the flora of distant countries. Between 1871 and 1885, she travelled extensively, visiting 15 countries in 14 years, including India from 1877 to 1879. During her time in India, she produced a significant body of work, including breathtaking mountain views of the Himalayas, such as her painting titled From Nahl Dehra near Simla (Shimla), Himachal Pradesh, India (1878), which is now on display at the Marianne North Gallery at Kew Gardens.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Year Marianne North painted the Himalayas | 1878 |
| Place painted | Nahl Dehra near Simla (Shimla), Himachal Pradesh, India |
| Medium | Oil on board |
| Dimensions | Not known |
| Gallery | Marianne North Gallery, Kew, England |
| Other paintings from India | Beypore, India (c. 1877-79); Water Palace – Chitore. India. Decr. 1878; Mount Everest or Deodunga from Sundukpho, North India (c. 1878) |
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What You'll Learn
Marianne North's travels to India
Marianne North was a prolific English Victorian biologist and botanical artist, known for her plant and landscape paintings, her extensive foreign travels, her writings, her plant discoveries, and the creation of her gallery at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. She travelled as a happy nonconformist, rejecting traditional women's roles. She embarked on her journey across northern India in 1877, and her travels there lasted until 1879. She travelled alone through isolated rural places from southern to northern India, enduring uncomfortable and potentially dangerous situations.
During her time in India, North stayed as a guest with high-ranking or distinguished politicians, military personnel, doctors, and judges. However, she expressed disinterest in participating in the expected social customs, instead pursuing her goal of recording some of the most exotic plants found anywhere. Her observations as an outsider contributed to her vividly coloured paintings, which were hastily sketched on-site and embellished later.
North's travels in India took her to many places, including Calcutta (now Kolkata), Bombay (now Mumbai), Delhi, Darjeeling, Jaipur, and much further afield. She also visited the western coastal resort of Beypore, in the state of Kerala, where she rented a large room over the railway station, just a hundred yards from the water of the Indian Ocean. In 1878, she painted breathtaking mountain views near Simla (Shimla), in the Western Himalaya. She also painted Mount Everest, or Deodunga, from Sundukpho, North India, another impressive view of the Himalayas.
North's paintings from her travels in India were displayed in an exhibition in Kensington in 1878, which included 512 of her oil paintings. A critic praised North for "her freedom of hand, the purity and brilliancy of colour and the accurate draughtsmanship of a consummate artist".
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Her paintings of the Himalayas
Marianne North was a prolific 19th-century traveller and botanical artist who defied Victorian conventions to pursue her ambition of painting the flora of distant countries. She travelled extensively between 1871 and 1885, visiting 15 countries in 14 years, including India, where she spent all of 1878.
North's paintings provide detailed information on the location, habitat, and uses of the plants she depicted. She often included animals, temples, and people in her paintings, capturing the essence of the places she visited. Her works serve as a record of the dramatic landscapes she encountered and the plants that grew there. She braved challenging conditions, including jungle rapids, forests, and mountains, to create unforgettable natural art.
During her travels in India, North endured uncomfortable and potentially dangerous situations while remaining committed to her artistic goals. She approached life's challenges with calm and a sense of humour, as evidenced by an incident where ants ate her oil paints while she was painting ancient buildings outside of Nasik. She also demonstrated her intuition and independence, navigating social interactions on her terms and prioritising her artistic pursuits.
North's paintings of the Himalayas and other exotic locations transported viewers to distant lands, offering a vibrant snapshot of faraway places that many in Europe had never seen before. Her works continue to be displayed at the Marianne North Gallery at Kew Gardens, where they hang in a scheme of geometrical perfection conceived by the artist herself.
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Her legacy and impact
Marianne North's legacy is an extensive collection of paintings, diaries, and an autobiography, capturing the plants, people, and places she encountered on her travels. Her work provides a vivid snapshot of the world in the late 19th century, offering a unique perspective on exotic locations and cultures that were relatively unknown to people in Europe at the time.
North's artistic and literary output has left a lasting impact in several ways. Firstly, her paintings are a valuable record of botanical diversity, including the discovery of new plant species, such as the pitcher plant in Borneo, which was unknown to science at the time. The species was later named Nepenthes northiana in her honour. Secondly, North's work offers a glimpse into the dramatic landscapes and exotic flora of the places she visited, from the mighty redwoods of California to the plants and temples of India. Her paintings of Mount Everest and the Himalayas, for instance, capture the rugged beauty of these iconic mountains.
North's travels and artwork also reflect her modern and non-conformist approach to life. She rejected traditional Victorian gender roles and societal expectations, choosing instead to pursue her passion for painting and exploration. Her independence, resilience, and open-mindedness in the face of challenging circumstances have inspired and continue to inspire many.
The Marianne North Gallery at Kew Gardens, which she founded, is a testament to her legacy. The gallery, designed as an Asian-inspired bungalow, houses over 800 of her paintings, as well as some donated by her grandniece and grandnephews in 2015. It stands as the only permanent solo exhibition by a female artist in Britain, showcasing her artwork and writing, which provide detailed information on the location, habitat, and uses of the plants she depicted. The gallery has been restored and continues to attract visitors interested in her work and the botanical world she captured.
North's impact extends beyond her artwork and can be seen in the broader context of botanical art and exploration. Her travels and paintings inspired others to explore and document the natural world, contributing to the fields of botany and ecology. Her work and life story have been featured in documentaries, books, and exhibitions, ensuring her legacy continues to influence and inspire new generations.
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North's artistic style
Marianne North was a prolific 19th-century traveller, painter, and botanist. She is known for her paintings of plants, people, and places from around the world, often depicted in their natural habitats. North's artistic style has been described as bold and bright, with a freedom of hand and a purity and brilliance of colour. She had a particular interest in botanical art and sought to inspire and educate people about the natural world through her work.
North's paintings are often characterised by their vibrant colours and the absence of black paint. She favoured certain colours, including cobalt blue, lead white, and the red dye madder, and used blue, green, or orange to tone down strong colours. This colour palette contributed to the overall vibrancy and boldness of her work.
North's work also showcases her scientific accuracy in documenting plant life. She often painted plants that were new to botanical science at the time, such as a pitcher plant from Borneo that was later named Nepenthes northiana in her honour. This scientific accuracy gives her work a permanent value and has established her as one of the most important female botanists of all time.
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The challenges she faced
Marianne North was a 19th-century traveller, naturalist, and painter who broke societal norms and travelled the world to paint the plants she found on her journeys. She faced several challenges throughout her life, including societal expectations and personal health issues.
Societal Expectations
As a woman in Victorian England, North faced strict gender expectations and rules of proper behaviour. She went against the conventions of her time by deciding to travel and paint alone, without the accompaniment of a male protector. This was unusual for women during this period, and North's independence and determination allowed her to pursue her artistic and botanical passions.
Personal Health Issues
North also faced physical challenges, including rheumatism and growing deafness. Despite these health issues, she embarked on her artistic and botanical adventures at the age of 40, after spending many years caring for her demanding father.
Navigating Remote Locations
North travelled to remote and challenging environments, including jungles, deserts, mountains, and plains. She often preferred to be "out of range" of expatriates from the British Empire and sought to interact with native people. Navigating these remote locations without the support structures commonly available today presented unique challenges that North had to overcome.
Conservation Concerns
During her travels, North witnessed the stripping of local natural resources for Britain's industrialization. This may have been a moral and emotional challenge for her, as she had a passion for plants and conservation. She documented live species in their natural habitats, and her work has contributed to our understanding of botanical diversity.
Artistic Recognition
As a self-taught artist, North may have faced challenges in gaining recognition for her work. However, she was supported by notable figures such as Charles Darwin, who encouraged her to travel to Australia and provided feedback on her paintings. Her work was also exhibited at Kensington in 1878, where a critic praised her for "her freedom of hand, the purity and brilliancy of colour, and the accurate draughtsmanship of a consummate artist".
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Frequently asked questions
Marianne North painted the Himalayas in 1878.
The painting was created in Nahl Dehra, near Simla (Shimla), in Himachal Pradesh, India.
The painting is an oil painting on board. Its dimensions are unknown.
The painting is housed in the Marianne North Gallery at Kew Gardens in England.
