Margaret Cavendish: Trailblazer is a new exhibition at Hollytrees Museum in Colchester, UK exploring the fascinating life and writings of the 17th century philosopher, scientist, and author Margaret Cavendish.

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Detail of “Portrait of Margaret Cavendish” by Catalina Carvajal

Daniel Whiting, professor of philosophy at the University of Southampton, as part of his Arts and Humanities Research Council Fellowship on Cavendish’s philosophy of value, collaborated with Colchester Museums to bring about the exhibition.

Professor Whiting writes:

Cavendish was born to the Lucas family in Colchester in 1623 and went on to become the first woman to publish a work of philosophy and science in English, the first published critic of Shakespeare, the first woman to write a science fiction novel in English, and the first woman invited to a meeting of the Royal Society. 

The exhibition, involving newly commissioned illustrations by the artist Catalina Carvajal, will introduce visitors to Cavendish’s early life in Colchester, the experience of her family during the English Civil War, and its impact on her writings, as well as her contributions to philosophy, science, and literature. 

The exhibition opened on February 14th and runs to August 30th.

“Parrot-Man”, a character from Cavendish’s novel, The Blazing World (1666), by Catalina Carvajal

Further information about the exhibit is here.