Mary Vaux Walcott
Encyclopedia
Mary Morris Vaux Walcott (July 31, 1860 – August 22, 1940) was an American artist and naturalist
known for her watercolor paintings of wildflowers.
She was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
to a wealthy Quaker
family. After graduating from the Friends Select School
in Philadelphia in 1879, she worked at home and on the family farm. During this time she took an interest in watercolor painting
, and began painting illustrations of wildflowers that she saw on family trips to the Rocky Mountains
of Canada
. She also became interested in glaciers at that time.
Walcott married the paleontologist Charles Doolittle Walcott
, who was the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution
, in 1914. She played an active part in her husband's projects, returning to the Rockies with him several times and continuing her hobby of painting the wildflowers there. In 1925 the Smithsonian published some 400 of her illustrations, accompanied by brief descriptions, in a five-volume work entitled North American Wild Flowers.
From 1927 to 1932 Walcott served on the federal Board of Indian Commissioners
. She was elected president of the Society of Woman Geographers in 1933. In 1935, the Smithsonian published Illustrations of North American Pitcher-Plants, which included 15 paintings by Walcott.
Following the death of her husband in 1927, Walcott established the Charles Walcott Doolittle Medal in his honor. It is awarded for scientific work on pre-Cambrian and Cambrian
life and history. Walcott died in St. Andrews, New Brunswick
.
A mountain, called Mount Mary Vaux, in Jasper National Park
, Alberta
, Canada is named after her. It is located at 52°33′0"N 117°27′10"W.
Natural history
Natural history is the scientific research of plants or animals, leaning more towards observational rather than experimental methods of study, and encompasses more research published in magazines than in academic journals. Grouped among the natural sciences, natural history is the systematic study...
known for her watercolor paintings of wildflowers.
She was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
to a wealthy Quaker
Religious Society of Friends
The Religious Society of Friends, or Friends Church, is a Christian movement which stresses the doctrine of the priesthood of all believers. Members are known as Friends, or popularly as Quakers. It is made of independent organisations, which have split from one another due to doctrinal differences...
family. After graduating from the Friends Select School
Friends Select School
Friends Select School is a private Quaker school in downtown Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The school has approximately 530 students in pre-kindergarten through 12th grade, and focuses on college preparation in the "upper school" . With a history dating to 1689, Friends Select has been located at...
in Philadelphia in 1879, she worked at home and on the family farm. During this time she took an interest in watercolor painting
Watercolor painting
Watercolor or watercolour , also aquarelle from French, is a painting method. A watercolor is the medium or the resulting artwork in which the paints are made of pigments suspended in a water-soluble vehicle...
, and began painting illustrations of wildflowers that she saw on family trips to the Rocky Mountains
Rocky Mountains
The Rocky Mountains are a major mountain range in western North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch more than from the northernmost part of British Columbia, in western Canada, to New Mexico, in the southwestern United States...
of Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. She also became interested in glaciers at that time.
Walcott married the paleontologist Charles Doolittle Walcott
Charles Doolittle Walcott
Charles Doolittle Walcott was an American invertebrate paleontologist. He became known for his discovery in 1909 of well-preserved fossils in the Burgess Shale of British Columbia, Canada.-Early life:...
, who was the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian Institution
The Smithsonian Institution is an educational and research institute and associated museum complex, administered and funded by the government of the United States and by funds from its endowment, contributions, and profits from its retail operations, concessions, licensing activities, and magazines...
, in 1914. She played an active part in her husband's projects, returning to the Rockies with him several times and continuing her hobby of painting the wildflowers there. In 1925 the Smithsonian published some 400 of her illustrations, accompanied by brief descriptions, in a five-volume work entitled North American Wild Flowers.
From 1927 to 1932 Walcott served on the federal Board of Indian Commissioners
Board of Indian Commissioners
The Board of Indian Commissioners was a committee that advised the federal government of the United States on Native American policy and it inspected supplies delivered to Indian agencies to ensure the fufillment of government treaty obligations to tribes....
. She was elected president of the Society of Woman Geographers in 1933. In 1935, the Smithsonian published Illustrations of North American Pitcher-Plants, which included 15 paintings by Walcott.
Following the death of her husband in 1927, Walcott established the Charles Walcott Doolittle Medal in his honor. It is awarded for scientific work on pre-Cambrian and Cambrian
Cambrian
The Cambrian is the first geological period of the Paleozoic Era, lasting from Mya ; it is succeeded by the Ordovician. Its subdivisions, and indeed its base, are somewhat in flux. The period was established by Adam Sedgwick, who named it after Cambria, the Latin name for Wales, where Britain's...
life and history. Walcott died in St. Andrews, New Brunswick
St. Andrews, New Brunswick
St. Andrews is a Canadian town in Charlotte County, New Brunswick.It is sometimes referred to in tourism marketing by its unofficial nickname "St. Andrews-by-the-sea".-Geography:St...
.
A mountain, called Mount Mary Vaux, in Jasper National Park
Jasper National Park
Jasper National Park is the largest national park in the Canadian Rockies, spanning 10,878 km² . It is located in the province of Alberta, north of Banff National Park and west of the City of Edmonton. The park includes the glaciers of the Columbia Icefield, hot springs, lakes, waterfalls and...
, Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
, Canada is named after her. It is located at 52°33′0"N 117°27′10"W.
Works by Walcott
- North American Wildflowers, 5 vols., pub. by the Smithsonian Institution, 1925, repub. 1988 ISBN 0-517-64269-7
- 15 paintings in Illustrations of American Pitcherplants, pub. by the Smithsonian Institution, 1935