The Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History Celebrates Early Women Illustrators

Credit: Courtesy Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History

Drawn by a Lady: Early Women Illustrators, which celebrates the talent of artists and authors in 19th-century Victorian England who were disregarded because of their gender, is now on view at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History.

The exhibition displays more than 40 works of early botanical illustrations that profile the lives of eight women who defied convention during an era when it was socially unacceptable for women to earn a living.

Women were also denied access to formal education during this time, but many found a way to use their skills in drawing and painting to make meaningful contributions to the emerging field of botany by writing or illustrating books.

Many of these works were either published anonymously, with their husband’s name, or credited with “By a Lady.”

Maximus Gallery Curator Linda Miller said that “Drawn by a Lady provides a fascinating look at gender issues in the history of science.” She continued, “For Victorian women, illustrating and writing about plants could be a means to both support themselves and to shape botanical knowledge.” —Colette Victorino

Drawn by a Lady: Early Women Illustrators is on view at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History (2559 Puesta del Sol) through July 2. Museum hours are Wed.–Mon., 10 a.m.–5 p.m. See sbnature.org.