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Women's History

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Detail of title page shows red and black printed text reading "Oronoko, traduit de l'anglois, de Madame Behn."

Oronoko

Aphra Behn
1745
Detail of a printed book shows a full-page colored illustration of a plant with insects on it. On the opposite page, text in Latin is visible.

Dissertatio de generatione et metamorphosibus insectorum Surinamensium

Maria Sibylla Merian
1719
Detail from the binding of a manuscript codex shows text in Spanish "3. Soledad."

Spiritual autobiography

María de San José
1703-1710
Detail of an engraved, hand colored full-page illustration shows a yam.

A collection of exotics, from the Island of Antigua

Lydia Byam
1797
Detail of a printed book shows a decorated title page depicting an illustration of Sor Juana, angels, indigenous people, and text in Spanish and Latin.

Fama, y obras posthumas del Fenix de Mexico

Juana Inés de la Cruz
1700
Detail of a printed book shows title page with manuscript notations at the top of the page.

A summary history of New-England

Hannah Adams
1799
Detail of a printed book shows an illustration of a nun holding a cross to her chest.

La vie de la venerable mere Marie de l'Incarnation premiere superieure des ursulines de la Nouvelle France

Claude Martin
1677
Detail from a manuscript codex shows "America" in focus within a Spanish text.

Redondez de la tierra, y de los Abitadores de ella

María de Jesús de Agreda
1600s

Related

Frontispiece of 'Mis Mac Rea', by Hillard-D'Auberteuil
Fellow's Talk

“Indian Castles” and “Barbarous Frenchmen”: the Shadow of New France in the American Revolution

image of an open book with a colorful image of insects on a tropical plant and printed text

By a Lady: Women and Natural History in the Americas, 1650-1830

September 2019

See Also

Maritime History

Cosmography and Astrology