Exhibition: Naturalist Women from the past

Naturalist Women from the past – Watercolour exhibition by Luisa F. Nunes.

Women of the past, naturalists and adventurers when defied the conventions of their time to bring knowledge about the natural world.

This fascinating exhibtion will be on display in the Orangery from 23rd July until 1st September and will be available to see on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays the the House is open for tours.

About the exhibtion..

Curiosity and work in the natural world, on the part of many women throughout history, has been neglected and forgotten. This exhibition painted during the pandemic, shows fifteen inspiring and influential women and their conservation work, that had a huge impact on knowledge about flora and fauna species.

They challenged conventions and took risks in many ways to bring to the world the discovery of species never described before. Many were illustrators, as that was the only way to record what they saw. They were all adventurers, different women, some absolutely misunderstood for their visionary sense.

From Maria Sibylla Merian (17th century) who ventured alone into the forests of Suriname, to Jane Goodall who studied the social life of chimpanzees in Tanzania. Also including, Rachel Carson, Marjory Latimer, Jeanne Baret and many others, this exhibition intends to show the stories and discoveries of women who dedicated themselves to enriching knowledge about the natural world, free spirits and way ahead of their time.

About the author..

Luisa Nunes is a professor of ecology and entomology at the Polytechnic Institute of Castelo Branco, Portugal. Her passion for naturalism has led her on several expeditions to remote regions of the world. Illustration is her hobby, with eighteen published books. The most popular is her illustrated diary, whose theme changes every year. Luisa has had a special affection for Belmont House for a long time.

You can follow Luisa’s travels to the natural world on Instagram: luisalark_