A new exhibition opening at Orange Regional Museum this week pays tribute to the extraordinary work of prominent 19th century Australian natural history illustrators, Harriet (Hattie) and Helena (Nellie) Scott.
Transformations: Art of the Scott Sisters will be officially opened at 6pm on Friday 13 March by Orange Mayor Tony Mileto, with exhibition curator and head, World Cultures, Archives and Research Library at The Australian Museum, Dr Vanessa Finney.
The exhibition features reproductions of 39 delicate watercolours, and large animated projections of butterflies and moths based on the sisters' original illustrations as well as 15 original objects on loan from the Australian Museum including sketches, documents and paintings by the Scott family from the 1830s-1890s.
It includes more than 60 native butterfly and moth specimens, matching those in the exhibition painted by the Scott sisters, from the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) Biosecurity Collections Unit at the Orange Agricultural Institute.
There's also an interpretive installation that gives a sense of how the Scott sisters worked on Ash Island in the mid-1800s, and an interactive section where children and families can create a felt butterfly on the wall.
Orange Mayor Tony Mileto is delighted to see the exhibition presented in Orange.
"It's a privilege to host an exhibition of this calibre here in Orange. The Scott sisters' work is not only scientifically significant but artistically stunning, and to have these pieces brought to life in our own regional museum is something the whole community can be proud of," Cr Mileto said.
"Exhibitions like this enrich our cultural landscape, spark curiosity, and connect us with remarkable chapters of Australia's history. I'm thrilled that residents and visitors alike will have the chance to experience it right here in Orange."
Australian Museum Director and CEO Kim McKay AO, the first woman to hold the role in the AM's history, said Hattie and Nellie Scott exuded wit, intelligence and scientific expertise at a time when these qualities were largely attributed solely to men.
"The sisters were incredibly talented and determined to make a difference, flying in the face of gender norms of the time, yet they were unable to study science formally at Sydney University as they had wished," she said.
"Their work at the Australian Museum in the 1850's to 1870's provided them with an outlet for their extraordinary talents, having been taught the techniques to paint flora and fauna by their father, A.W Scott, who was also an artist and scientist. He shared with them the scientific skills to observe, collect and record behavioural and distribution data," she said.
NSW DPIRD scientific collections curator, Peter Gillespie, said the department has been managing specimens since the 1890s and is excited to share parts of its collection in this exhibition.
"Specimens you can see here give museum visitors a real-life reference to compare with the Scott sisters' artworks," Mr Gillespie said.
"The importance of the connection between adult butterflies and moths to their caterpillars and the plants they live and feed on is a significant relationship, which has been skilfully captured in the scientific artworks we see here today.
"The Scott sisters' art parallels the work we still do to maintain plant health and biosecurity today. With nearly half a million specimens, DPIRD's collections remain important for biodiversity, research and extension services, and in maintaining market access for Australian exporters by confirming pest and disease status."
Paintings created by the sisters between1846 and 1851 for their father's landmark publication Australian Lepidoptera and their Transformations - depicting caterpillars in life-like poses, gorgeous butterflies and native flowers - are considered to be among their finest work and are still used by scientists today.
Australian Museum Entomologist, Derek Smith said the sisters' work had been incredibly valuable to generations of scientists.
"The Scott sisters were among the first to illustrate the life stages of Australian moths and butterflies. They were meticulous and understood the biology of their subjects in great detail," he said.
Visitors to the exhibition are invited to turn back the pages and discover the captivating story of these two extraordinary women, whose love of nature and tremendous skill in rendering its beauty enabled them to distinguish themselves amid the male-dominated world of 19th century science.
Dr Finney will conduct a floor talk in the exhibition at 11am on Saturday 14 March. Book here.
Transformations: Art of the Scott Sisters will be open at Orange Regional Museum, 151 Byng Street, until June 8. The Museum is open from 9am to 4pm and entry is free.
