Lady Maria Callcott

Born Maria Dundas in 1785, she became known as Maria Graham and later Lady Callcott. She was an English writer, illustrator, and traveler whose books drew on firsthand experience in several parts of the world, including India, Brazil, Chile, and Italy.

Her travel writing stood out for its lively detail and sharp observation. She also wrote for children and kept journals that have remained valuable to readers interested in travel, culture, and the places she witnessed during a period of major change.

After the death of her first husband, Captain Thomas Graham, she later married the painter Sir Augustus Wall Callcott. She died in 1842, but her work still offers a vivid window into the world she saw and recorded.