Kew's Forgotten Queen
Documentary about the Victorian botanical artist Marianne North, who rejected marriage and social convention for a pioneering life of conservation and adventure.
Within Kew Gardens stands an extraordinary gallery, celebrating the work of one of the most prolific botanical artists of the Victorian age. At a time when women barely left their parlour rooms, Marianne North's globetrotting exploits defied convention as she travelled alone at the height of the British Empire. From Borneo and Brazil to Japan, South Africa, Australia and India, she fearlessly navigated the world twice over in her pursuit of capturing every living plant on canvas.
Actress Emilia Fox tells the story of how this Victorian rebel changed the face of botanical research, propelling her to the top of a male-dominated world of science and exploration, gaining the admiration of Charles Darwin and even Queen Victoria. Retracing Marianne's footsteps and her passion for the natural world, Emilia revisits the awe-inspiring locations of some of her greatest experiences.
With exclusive access to Kew Gardens and Marianne's wealth of personal memoirs, letters and paintings, this is a tantalising tale of a visionary who rejected marriage and social convention for a pioneering life of conservation and adventure. Her artistic legacy remains as mesmerising today as it was in 1882 when her gallery opened at Kew Gardens.
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Credits
Role | Contributor |
---|---|
Narrator | Emilia Fox |
Producer | Irene Antoniades |
Director | Irene Antoniades |
Executive Producer | Jack Andrews |
Executive Producer | Lavinia Warner |
Executive Producer | Dan Oliver |
Executive Producer | Dan Chambers |
Broadcasts
- Mon 26 Sep 2016 21:00
- Tue 27 Sep 2016 02:25
- Wed 22 Feb 2017 20:00
- Wed 22 Nov 2017 00:00
- Tue 22 May 2018 01:00
- Sun 19 May 2019 20:00
- Mon 20 May 2019 03:00
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