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Fungi Collected in Shropshire and Other Neighbourhoods

A Victorian Woman’s Illustrated Field Notes

Fore. Patricia Ononiwu Kaishian , MF Lewis
Between 1860 and 1902 MF Lewis, whose first names have never been recovered, rambled across England and Wales, capturing the diversity of its fungi in an era when they were often neglected by the male-dominated field of botany. Her three volumes of watercolour illustrations are brought together in this edition ‘as scientific and aesthetic work deserving of remembrance and celebration’, with facsimile notes to the final volume that aid identification.
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RRP £17.99

£8.99

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Product information:
  • Publisher: Chronicle
  • Year: 2023
  • Format: Hardback
  • Pages: 168pp
  • Illustrated: Yes
  • Dimensions: 204x158mm
  • ISBN: 9781797227412
  • Condition: New
  • Weight: 0.5kg
Product code:
541075
Product information
Full publisher description
Venture into the woods alongside a pioneering female mycologist. This one-of-a-kind, keepsake volume celebrates the timeless fascination of fungi.

Very little is known about M. F. Lewis-not even her first name. Mysterious, prolific, and deeply enamored with the world of mushrooms, she left us a treasure trove of mycological illustrations. For over forty years, from 1860 to 1902, Lewis rambled across England and Wales, recording an astonishing biodiversity of fungi. Her delicately drawn, boldly colored images evoke the strange and powerful beauty of this kingdom.

This handsome volume collects hundreds of Lewis's watercolors, contextualized by a foreword from mycologist Dr. Patricia Ononiwu Kaishian. It's a must-have for today's mushroom lovers who are curious about the history of mycology and for any admirer of vintage botanical illustration who wants to discover something different.

FASCINATING FUNGI: Mushrooms are having a real moment, but they've always captured our imaginations, even in Victorian times. Lewis's gorgeous artwork offers the modern mushroom fan a new way to appreciate their favorite kingdom.

VINTAGE AESTHETIC: This lovely clothbound volume evokes the magic of uncovering a treasure in a jumbled vintage bookstore.

FEMINIST HISTORY: While little is known of the elusive M. F. Lewis, we can celebrate the legacy that she and other female naturalists of the 19th century left for women in science and art today.

ARTFUL SCIENCE: Lewis's illustrated field notes showcase the intersection of art and science at its best.

Perfect for:

Mushroom hunters, eaters, and admirers
Fans of cottagecore and goblincore aesthetics
Collectors of vintage books and vintage botanical illustration
Collectors of Victorian ephemera
Readers of feminist history
Environmentalists, scientists, and artists
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