Christine Marie von Cappelen

Christine Marie von Cappelen
Born
Christine Marie Klein

(1766-09-21)21 September 1766
Drammen, Buskerud, Denmark–Norway
Died8 April 1849(1849-04-08) (aged 82)
Burial placeBrethren Church, Christiansfeld, Denmark
OccupationBotanist
SpousePeder von Cappelen (m. 1794)
Children2

Christine Marie von Cappelen (née Klein, 21 September 1766 – 8 April 1849), sometimes known as "Maja" or "Mother Cappelen," was Norway's first female botanist.

Early life and family

Von Cappelen was born on 21 September 1766[1] in Drammen, Buskerud, Denmark–Norway.[2][3] She married merchant and politician Peder von Cappelen on 25 December 1784.[2][4][5] She was sometimes known as "Maja" or "Mother Cappelen."[6]

Botany

Von Cappelen was Norway's first female botanist and was a friend of Norwegian botanist Christen Smith.[2] She recorded a handwritten flora of the plants at Eidsfoss in Holmestrand, Norway,[7] where her husband owned the ironworks Eidsfos Verk.[3][8] The work was titled Wild-growing Plants in Eidsfoss and the Surrounding Area and is now held at the University Botanical Garden in Oslo.[3]

Von Cappelen was also interested in astronomy.[9]

Death

Von Cappelen's husband died in 1837.[3] She died on 8 April 1849[1] in Schleswig, Duchy of Schleswig, Denmark, aged 82.[2] She was buried at the Brethren Church in Christiansfeld, Denmark.[3]

References

  1. ^ a b "Christine Maria von Cappelen". Bionomia. Archived from the original on 21 February 2025. Retrieved 9 October 2025.
  2. ^ a b c d Eeg-Henriksen, Vibeke (18 June 2024), "Christine Marie von Cappelen", Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian), archived from the original on 21 February 2025, retrieved 9 October 2025
  3. ^ a b c d e Rosell-Helland, Theresa (15 March 2023). "Cappelen, Christine Marie von (21.09.1766-08.04.1849)". Drammen Byleksikon (in Norwegian). Retrieved 9 October 2025.
  4. ^ Coldevin, Axel (1950). Norske storgårder (in Norwegian). Vol. 2. H. Aschehoug & Company. p. 107.
  5. ^ Steinfeld, Torill (10 March 2006). "En kvinnestemme for nasjonen – Nasjonalitet, identitet og språk i Madame de Staëls Corinne ou l'Italie og Christiane Korens journaler". Norsk litteraturvitenskapelig tidsskrift. 9 (1): 50–69. doi:10.18261/ISSN1504-288X-2006-01-04. ISSN 0809-2044.
  6. ^ Johnsen, Egil Børre; Eriksen, Trond Berg (1998). Norsk litteraturhistorie: 1750-1920 (in Norwegian). Universitetsforlaget. p. 265. ISBN 978-82-00-12751-2.
  7. ^ "Norges første kvinnelige zoolog". Kvinnehistorie.no (in Norwegian). Retrieved 9 October 2025.
  8. ^ "Peder og Christine Marie von Cappelen". Eidsfos jernverk (in Norwegian). Archived from the original on 13 August 2025. Retrieved 9 October 2025.
  9. ^ Sørensen, Anne Scott (1998). Nordisk salonkultur: et studie i nordiske skønånder og salonmiljøer 1780-1850 (in Danish). Odense Universitetsforlag. p. 299. ISBN 978-87-7838-345-7.