Ellis Rowan (1848-1922) was a painter, naturalist, writer and explorer. For almost 50 years, she travelled to remote parts of Australia, India, Europe, America and New Guinea in pursuit of exotic flowers and wildlife to paint. One of Australia’s most-loved botanical artists, Ellis was a woman who made her mark at a time when scientific illustration was a male domain. The Ellis Rowan collection at the National Library of Australia comprises 919 watercolours and gouaches painted between about 1870and 1920. This represents less than one third of Rowan’s total output.