Ulwar, India 1878

Marianne North made this oil painting of Ulwar, India, sometime in the late 19th century. North was a Victorian biologist and botanical artist who traveled the world documenting plant life. She used her art to record her observations, but also to reflect on the role of women and the natural world in a rapidly changing era. Painted during the British colonial period, the image creates meaning through the play of light, shadow, and reflection, and hints at both the splendor and the social realities of the place. It is difficult to ascertain the precise moment the painting was made without any records, but it is fair to suggest that North saw it as part of her botanical enterprise, documenting her travels and making her observations available to other scientists back home. To fully understand North’s experience in Ulwar and her perspective as a western woman, you may want to compare this painting to other Victorian travelogues, paying close attention to the social and institutional structures that were in place at the time.