Object Image

Mary Fairfax, Mrs William Somerville, 1780 - 1872. Writer on science

Mary Fairfax, a child of remarkable intelligence with a love of learning, was forbidden from studying mathematics and algebra, as it was deemed both inappropriate and dangerous for a young girl. When her father discovered that she was studying secretly at night, she overheard him tell her mother: ‘we must put a stop to this or we will have Mary in a straitjacket one of these days.’ Widowhood at the age of twenty gave Mary the independence to pursue her studies, and with marriage to her second husband, William Somerville, she had encouragement and support. Mary Somerville gained national and international acclaim for her contributions to astronomy, science and physical geography. Her publicatio...
1834
Oil on canvas
76.2 x 63.5cm
PG 1115
Image and text © National Galleries of Scotland, 2020

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