Botanical Illustrations - Art

Traditional Botanical Illustrations are illustrations that focus on the scientific accuracy of a flower. Illustrations depict all relevant information about flowers, however there was more of an emphasis on aesthetics. This is a very old form of art that brings together science and art. It was also seen as an acceptable form of science for women during the 19th century, when science was only acceptable for men to do. This is because girls were seen as ‘delicate’, and therefore weren’t permitted 

to have the same education as boys, however since botany was just drawing pretty flowers and labeling them, it was okay for women to do. But this was still an act of rebellion for many women because botany, however frivolous to men, it is a very important and involved science in many cultures, and even now. Many botanists still use the drawings done by women in the 19th century as reference. There was also a first wave feminist, Elizabeth Wolstenholme Elmy, who used botanical illustrations to educate children on sex during the 19th century by equating human and plant sex organs.