Hannah Cassels im Thurn

Lady Hannah Cassels im Thurn ( Lorimer; 7 December 1854 – 25 November 1947) was a British botanical artist and ethnological sculptor best known for the collection of orchid illustrations attributed to her and held at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Biography Lady Hannah im Thurn was born Hannah Cassels Lorimer on 7 December 1854. She was the daughter of Hannah ( Stodart) and James Lorimer. She studied at the University of Edinburgh where, in 1880, she was awarded the University Certificate of Arts for Women. It was while renovations were being completed at her family home of Kellie Castle that she learned the skill of moulding plaster ceilings from the tradespeople employed by her father to renovate the castle. She subsequently worked on the moulded plaster ceilings of the Fife residence of Lord Bute. Paintings by im Thurn are owned by the National Trust of Scotland and are on display at Kellie Castle. Also at Kellie is a cast taken from an original bronze sculpture by Hannah of a Sri Lankan boy, given to Kellie by Hannah's niece Miss Esther Chalmers. On 15 August 1895 she married Everard im Thurn and travelled with him to British Guiana. While in British Guiana im Thurn completed the orchid illustration collection now held at Kew and attributed to her.