They have been described as the Bronte sisters of the botanical world, exuding wit, intelligence and scientific expertise in the male-dominated world of the 19th century.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
In a coup for the Maitland Regional Art Gallery, the beautiful and intricate works of Harriet (Hattie) and Helena (Nellie) Scott are now on show in the exquisite exhibition titled Beauty from Nature: the art of the Scott sisters.
The exhibition features more than 50 delicate watercolours, as well as rarely-seen notebooks, handwritten manuscripts, sketches and letters.
“The sisters were incredibly talented and determined to make a difference,” exhibition project co-ordinator Fran Dorey said.
“They were also fortunate to have a father (butterfly and moth collector Alexander Walker Scott) who was a trained artist and scientist himself, so he not only taught them the techniques to paint nature but also the scientific skills to observe, collect and record it.
“This led them to a remarkable career in scientific illustrations - many of which are still used by scientists today.”
Harriet and Helena were teenagers when they moved from Sydney to the isolated Ash Island in the Hunter River where they painted its wildlife for 20 years until the late 1860s.
Australian Museum Entomology Collection manager David Britton said the sisters’ work was incredibly valuable to generations of scientists.
“The Scott sisters were among the first to illustrate the life histories and immature stages of Australian moths and butterflies. They were meticulous and understood the biology of their subject in great detail,” Mr Britton said.
He said the highlight of the exhibition is the sisters’ watercoloured paintings created between 1846 and 1851 for their father’s landmark
publication Australian Lepidoptera and their Transformations.
Considered the finest examples of their work, the paintings feature caterpillars in life-like poses,
gorgeous butterflies, native flowers and stunning landscapes.
“This is a rare chance for visitors to step back in time and absorb these watercolours while admiring the simple beauty of 19th century nature through the eyes of two young women whose pioneering work was praised for both the art and the science.“
Beauty from Nature: the art of the Scott sisters opens on Saturday at the gallery.
