Elizabeth Blackwell
- Magic Of The Isles
- Aug 11
- 2 min read
THERE ARE 2 ELIZABETH BLACKWELLS, ONE IS A DOCTOR. THE ONE REFERENCED HERE IS AN ILLUSTRATOR.
Key accomplishments
Had a publication called “A curious herbal” which took six years to complete.
Contributed to updated herbal information with her artistry, producing around 500 images to print.
Recognised as the first female herbalist.
About Elizabeth Blackwell
Elizabeth was born in Aberdeen 1699 and passed away in 1758. Sources on this are variable due to record availability. She resided at The Atlas in Strand, London. Elizabeth was well known for her artistry and recognised for her work in bringing a more accessible education to the public with artistic flair. It is also documented that whilst she created art, it was her husband who gave her the names for all the different herbs. Elizabeth’s husband was in jail at Highgate Prison for being in debt over fines relating to the in-completion of an apprenticeship which came about from a rival printing press company. Elizabeth Blackwell had a somewhat comfortable upbringing, her father put her through education, this is where her talent for artistry really began to emerge. These skills were then used to straighten out her husband’s affairs and get him released from prison. Prior to creating “A Curious Herbal” she was a midwife in training. Elizabeth did not complete this training because of her thoughts on the character of other trainees.
The Curious Herbal
The information contained within went into great details. It detailed specifics such as height, diameter, names in a variety of languages as well as usage and growth instructions. Copper engraved plates were used as a medium, then later hand coloured. At the time of publication women were still trying to break through into the sciences, Elizabeth’s accomplishments are instrumental in breaking down that barrier.
A copy of Elizabeth Blackwell’s work can be found here in digital format.
References
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