Catharina Helena Dörrien
(1717-1795)

Catharina Helena Dörrien was considered by her time as a famous woman. She was a pioneer of female education, but she was mainly known as a botany specialist. Her catalogue of plants from the duchy of Oranien-Nassau was printed in 1777. She had painted more than 1400 water-colours which could compare to those painted by Maria Sibylla Merian, who had preceded her half a century.
Regina Viereck shows us the portrait of a woman, who had to stand up for herself after the early death of her parents. Intelligence, hard-working and artistic talent won her the acknowledgment of the male world of scientists. Her book also contains educational documents and fables as well as unpublished botanic water-colours by Catharina Helena Dörrien, thus giving us a lively impression of this extraordinary scientist of the 18th century. [Wedig, 2001]

Regina Viereck 2000 "Zwar sind es weibliche Hände - Die Botanikerin und Pädagogin Catharina Helena Dörrien (1717-1795)" 179 pages, 8 colour plates Frankfurt/New York: Campus publisher ISBN 3-593-36580-4