Ruth van Crevel

Ruth van Crevel (3 December 1926 - 18 September 2022) was an acclaimed Dutch botanical illustrator and photographer of wild plants. She was born and raised in The Hague, where she studied at the Royal Academy of Art (1947-1951) and the Fotovakschool (evening course, 1960-1964). In March 1952 she was hired by the Dutch botanist professor C.G.G.J. van Steenis as draughtswoman for the Flora Malesiana at the Rijksherbarium Leiden, a position she held until her retirement in 1988. 
During her professional career she contributed many hundreds of pen-and-ink drawings to the Flora Malesiana, doctoral thesisses, journals such as Blumea and Persoonia, and the Flora agaricina. During the summer months of 1956 and 1957 she worked as a draughtswoman for prof. E.H.J. Corner at te Botany School in Cambridge, in 1958 and 1960 she was seconded to prof. R. E. Holttum, drawing ferns at Kew Herbarium in London. Examples of her work can be viewed on the website plantillustrations.org. 
She was also successful as a freelance nature photographer, with a career spanning over fifty years. She contributed colour and black-and-white photos to book publications, specialized photo magazines such as Fototribune, Foto and Focus, and monthlies for the general public alike. Twenty of her photos published as post cards by Art Unlimited (Amsterdam) sold many thousands of copies.She has two monographs to her name, Plantenparade and Zwart-wit: vijftig jaar natuurfotografie.
==Recognition as a draughtswoman==
In 1965 the genus Phyllocharis was renamed Ruthiella "in honour and appreciation of her devoted service to scientific botany". She was praised for "developing her own style, in which she combines great accuracy with artistic arrangement as far as this is possible with scientific illustration", "her great attention to detail" and "for setting a standard of illustration in the Flora Malesiana and other publications of staff members and students of the Rijksherbarium and collaborators of the Flora Malesiana engaged in the study of tropical plants."
==Exhibitions==
===Group===
‘Natuurgetrouw’, Natuurhistorisch Museum, Tilburg, The Netherlands, 1978
‘Natuurgetrouw’, Sterrenwacht, Leiden, 1979
'Schoonheid in de wetenschap', Museum Boijmans van Beuningen, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, 2011
===Solo===
‘Plantenparade: balanceren tussen kunst en kennis’, Natuurmuseum Brabant, Tilburg, 2004
==Works==
===Original pen-and-ink drawings present in the collections of===
* Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden, The Netherlands (the bulk of her work)
* Prentenkabinet, University of Leiden (10 drawings)
* The Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation, Pittsburgh, PA, USA (Barringtonia sarcostachys (Bl.) Miq., 1964, pen-and-ink, 28.2 x 21.3 cm)
===Pen-and-ink drawings reproduced in===
Adema, F. & J. Mennema, ‘Seseli montanum L. in Nederland gevonden’, Gorteria, Vol. 8, No. 2, 1 April 1976, p. 22-24. Drawing on p. 23.
Bas, C., Th.W. Kuyper, M.E. Noordeloos & E.C. Vellinga (eds.), with the assistance of R. van Crevel (illustrations) & E.J.M. Arnolds, Flora Agaricina Neerlandica: Critical monographs on families of agarics and boleti occuring in the Netherlands. Vol. 1. Rotterdam / Brookfield: A.A. Balkema, 1988.
Bas, C., Th.W. Kuyper, M.E. Noordeloos & E.C. Vellinga (eds.), with the assistance of R. van Crevel (illustrations) & E.J.M. Arnolds, Flora Agaricina Neerlandica: Critical monographs on families of agarics and boleti occuring in the Netherlands. Vol. 2. Rotterdam / Brookfield: A.A. Balkema, 1990.
Bas, C., Th.W. Kuyper, M.E. Noordeloos & E.C. Vellinga (eds.), with the assistance of R. van Crevel & J. van Os (illustrations), Flora Agaricina Neerlandica: Critical monographs on families of agarics and boleti occuring in the Netherlands. Vol. 3. Rotterdam / Brookfield: A.A. Balkema, 1995.
Beusekom, C.F. van, ‘A Revision of the Malesian and Ceylonese Species of the Genus Gaertnera lamk. (Rubiaceae)’, Blumea, Vol. 15, No. 2, 1967, p. 359-391. Drawings on p. 364, 376, 382.
Beusekom, C.F. van, Revision of Meliosma (Sabiaceae), Section Lorenzanea excepted, Living and Fossil, Geography and Phylogeny. Leiden: N.V. Drukkerij J.J Groen en Zoon [Dissertation 15 March 1972]. Prepublished in Blumea, Vol. 19, No. 3, 1971, p. 355-529. Drawings on p. 361, 366, 390, 396, 399, 401, 402?, 404, 406, 445, 459, 479, 485, 509, 521.
Boekhout, T., Notulae ad Floram Agaricinam Neerlandicam – IX: Mycenella’, Persoonia, Vol. 12, part 4, p. 427-440, 1985. Drawings in cooperation with the author on p. 429, 431, 432, 434, 435, 437.
Bruggen, H.W.E. van, ‘Revision of the Genus Aponogeton (Aponogetonaceae)’, Blumea, Vol. 16, No. 1, 1968, p. 243-265. Drawings on p. 246, 248, 252, 264.
Bruggen, H.W.E. van, ‘Revision of the Genus Aponogeton (Aponogetonaceae), III. The Species of Australia’, Blumea, Vol. 17, No. 1, 1969, p. 121-137. Drawings on p. 122, 124, 126, 132, 134, 135.
Bruggen, H.W.E. van, ‘Revision of the Genus Aponogeton (Aponogetonaceae), IV. The Species of Asia and Malesia’, Blumea, Vol. 18, No. 2, 1970, p. 457-487. Drawings on p. 458, 460, 462, 464, 468, 482, 484.
Bruggen, H.W.E. van, ‘Revision of the Genus Aponogeton (Aponogetonaceae), VI. The Species of Africa’, Bull. Jard. Bot. Nat. Belg. / Bull. Nat. Plantentuin Belg., Vol. 43, No. 1/2, 1973, p. 193-233. Drawings on p. 204, 208, 214, 222.
Ding Hou, ‘Florae malesianae praecursores LXII on the Genus Thottea (Aristolochiaceae)’, Blumea, Vol. 27, No. 2, 1981, p. 301- 332. Drawings on p. 319, 323, 325.
Ding Hou, ‘Florae malesianae praecursores LXIII. New Species of Malesian Aristolochiaceae’, Blumea, Vol. 28, No. 2, 1983, p. 343-352. Drawings on p. 345, 347, 349.
Flora Malesiana, Series I Spermatophyta (Flowering Plants), Vol. 5, part 2, 1955, Malpighiaceae (M. Jacobs, Leyden), p. 125-145. Drawings on p. 127, 128, 132, 134, 138, 140, 141.
Flora Malesiana, Series I Spermatophyta (Flowering Plants), Vol. 5, part 3, 1955, Goodeniaceae (P.W. Leenhouts, Leyden), p. 335-344. Drawings on p. 337, 338, 343.
Flora Malesiana, Series I – Spermatophyta (Flowering Plants), Vol. 6, part 1, 1960, Thymelaceae (Ding Hou, Leyden), p. 1-48. Drawings on p. 7, 14, 24, 26, 29, 36, 40, 44, 45, 47.
Flora Malesiana, Series I – Spermatophyta (Flowering Plants), Vol. 6, part 1, 1960, Staphyleaceae (B.L. van der Linden, Leyden), p. 49-59. Drawing on p. 50.
Flora Malesiana, Series I – Spermatophyta (Flowering Plants), Vol. 6, part 1, 1960, Capparidaceae (M. Jacobs, Leyden), p. 61-105. Drawings on p. 65, 90, 94, 96.
Flora Malesiana, Series I – Spermatophyta (Flowering Plants), Vol. 6, part 1, 1960, Campanulaceae (B. Moeliono, Amsterdam & P. Tuyn, Leyden), p. 107-141. Drawings on p. 114, 115, 117, 119, 131, 132, 135, 139.
Flora Malesiana, Series I – Spermatophyta (Flowering Plants), Vol. 6, part 1, 1960, Juglandaceae (M. Jacobs, Leyden), p. 143-154. Drawings on p. 144, 149, 150, 151.
Flora Malesiana, Series I – Spermatophyta (Flowering Plants), Vol. 6, part 1, 1960, Loganiaceae (P.W. Leenhouts, Leyden), p. 293-387. Drawings on p. 301, 306, 310, 312, 318, 321, 322, 329, 334, 338, 342, 344, 348, 352, 354, 357, 362, 364, 369, 374, 376, 380, 382, 385, 386.
Flora Malesiana, Series I, Vol. 7, part 1, 1971, Lamnaceae (F. van der Plas, Leyden), p. 219-237. Drawings on p. 220, 225, 227, 229, 232, 233, 234, 236.
Flora Malesiana, Series I – Spermatophyta (Flowering Plants), Vol. 7, part 3, Cyperaceae (J.H. Kern, Leyden). Leiden: Noordhoff Int. Pub., 1974. Drawings on p. 459, 461, 467, 484 (?), 485, 493, 495, 503, 506, 509, 511, 517, 520, 526, 539, 541, 556, 561, 563, 568, 570, 574, 578, 581, 582, 588, 639, 651, 662, 667, 669, 676, 692, 704, 711, 723, 737, 742, 745, 747, 753.
Flora Malesiana, Series II – Pteridophyta (Ferns and Fern Allies), Vol. 1, part 4: Lomariopsis Group (R.E. Holttum, Kew). Leiden: Nationaal Herbarium Nederland, 1978. Drawings on p. 260, 263, 268, 271, 272, 273, 274, 282, 283(?), 295, 296, 299, 300, 306, 309, 312.
Flora Malesiana, Series I – Spermatophyta (Flowering Plants), Vol. 9, part 2, Dipterocarpaceae (P.S. Ashton, Arnold Arboretum, Harvard University). Leiden: Martinus Nijhoff Pub., 1984. Drawings on p. 294, 296, 326, 338, 340, 346, 374, 381, 389, 416, 430, 446, 462, 467, 468, 470, 472, 486, 488, 498, 500, 504, 506, 508, 520, 522, 527, 528, 547. [Note 1, p. 237: ‘Drawings by Miss R. van Crevel (details) and Mr. J. van Os (habit) were made under supervision of Dr. M. Jacobs.’]
Flora Malesiana, Series I – Seed Plants, Vol. 17, part 2, Moraceae (Ficus) (C.C. Berg & E.J.H. Corner). Leiden: Nationaal Herbarium Nederland, 2005. Drawings on p. 132, 217, 234, 235, 246, 248, 254, 279, 286, 287, 346, 353, 357, 359, 362, 368, 371, 374, 384, 401, 411, 422, 435, 441, 443, 445, 495, 525, 526, 540, 541, 546, 623, 630, 637, 650, 656, 670, 683, 687, 696.
Hattink, T.A., ‘A Revision of Malesian Caesalpinia, including Mezoneuron (Leguminosae – caesalpiniaceae)’, Reinwardtia, Herbarium Bogoriense, Bogor: LBN, Vol. 9, part 1, p 1-69, 1974. Drawings on p. 25, 32, 33, 44.
Jacobs, M., The Genus Capparis (Capparaceae) from the Indus to the Pacific. Leiden: J.J. Groen & Zoon. [Dissertation 9 June 1965] Prepublished in Blumea, Vol. 12, No. 3, 1965, p. 385-541. Drawings on p. 426, 428, 430, 434, 451, 464, 474, 478, 484, 502, 504, 510, 516, 522.
Kalkman, C., The Old World Species of Prunus subg. laurocerasus Including Those Formerly referred to Pygeum, Leiden: J.J. Groen & Zoon. [Dissertation 28 April 1965]. Prepublished in Blumea, Vol. 13, No. 1, 1965. Drawings on p. 5, 11, 12, 15, 16, 17, 19, 42, 62, 73, 76, 84, 94.
Knaap-van Meeuwen, M.S., A Revision of Four Genera of the Tribe Leguminosae-caesalpinioideae-cynometreae in Indo-Malesia and the Pacific. Leiden: J.J. Groen & Zoon N.V. [Dissertation 7 July 1970] Prepublished in: Blumea, Vol. 18, No. 1, 1970, p. 1-52. Drawings on p. 15, 18, 30, 32, 36, 42, 47.
Kuyper, Th. W., ‘A new species of Clitocybe’, Sydowia, Annales Mycologici, Series II, Vol. 36, 1983, p. 173-175. Drawing [in cooperation with the author] on p. 174.
Kuyper, Thomas W., ‘Studies in Inocybe—I: Revision of the new taxa of Inocybe described by Velenovsky’, Persoonia, Vol. 12, part 4, p. 375-400, 1985. Drawings in cooperation with the author on p. 377, 380, 382, 384, 387, 390, 393, 395, 398.
Kuyper, Thomas W., ‘Studies in Inocybe—II’, Persoonia, Vol. 12, part 4, p. 479-482, 1985. Drawings in cooperation with the author on p. 480, 481.
Kuyper, Thomas W., A Revision of the Genus Inocybe in Europe. I. Subgenus Inosperma and the Smooth-Spored Species of the Subgenus Inocybe. Persoonia Supplement, Vol. 3, part 1, p. 1-247. [Dissertation 12 December 1986]; drawings in cooperation with the author and Jan van Os.
Matthew, K.M., ‘A Revision of the Genus Mastixia (Cornaceae)’, Blumea, Vol. 23, No. 1, 1976, p. 51- 93. Drawings on p. 84, 173.
Meijden, R. van der, ‘An Annotated Key to the South-East Asiatic, Malesian, Mascarene, and African Species of Myriophyllum (Haloragaceae)’, Blumea, Vol. 17, No. 2, 1969. p. 304-311. Drawing on p. 306.
Meijden, R. van der, Systematics and Evolution of Xanthophyllum (Polygalaceae), Leiden: Brill / University Press (Leiden Botanical Series Vol. 7, part 1, p. 3- 159). [Dissertation 19 May 1982] Drawings on p. 18, 19, 77, 84, 106, 134, 136, 140, 146, 150, 151, 152.
Noordeloos, M.E., Entoloma subgenus Pouzaromyces emend. in Europe [58 figures], Persoonia, Vol. 10, part 2, p. 207-243, 1979.
Noordeloos, M.E., Entoloma subgenus Nolanea in the Netherlands and Adjacent Regions with a Reconnaissance of its Remaining Taxa in Europe [49 figures], Persoonia, Vol. 10, part 4, p. 427-534, 1980.
Noordeloos, M.E., Introduction to the Taxonomy of the Genus Entoloma sensu lato (agaricales) [9 figures], Persoonia, Vol. 11, part 2, p. 121-151, 1981.
Noordeloos, M.E., Entoloma subgenera Entoloma and Allocybe in the Netherlands and Adjacent Regions with a Reconnaissance of its Remaining Taxa in Europe [51 figures], Persoonia, Vol. 11, part 2, p. 153-256, 1981.
Noordeloos, Machiel Evert, Systematiek en verspreiding van Satijnzwammen (Entoloma subgenus Entoloma, Nolanea, Pouzaromyces en Allocybe) in Nederland met een verkenning van de overige Europese taxa [Dissertation 15 June 1981, collection of 5 prepublished articles] [figures MN + RvC in cooperation].
Payens, J.P.D.W., A Monograph of the Genus Barringtonia (Lecythidaceae), Leiden: J.J. Groen & Zoon N.V. [Dissertation 17 January 1968] Prepublished in: Blumea, Vol. 15, No. 2, 1967, p. 157-263. Drawings on p. 190, 200, 217, 220, 234, 241, 245, 251, 253.
Prud’homme van Reine, W.F., A Taxonomic Revision of the European Sphacelariaceae (Sphacelariales, Phaeophyceae), Leiden: Brill / University Press (Leiden Botanical Series Vol. 6, part 1, p. 3-293), 1982.
Risdale, C.E., ‘Notes on New Guinea Rubiaceae. Rhadinopus, Blumea, Vol. 25, No. 1, 1979. p. 297-300. Drawing on p. 298.
Steenis, C.G.G.J. van & M.M.J. van Balgooy (eds.), Pacific plant areas, Vol. 1, Manila, National Institute of Science and Technology, 1963.
Veldkamp, J.F., N.A.P. Franken, M.C. Roos & M.P. Nayar, ‘A Revision of Diplectria (Melastomataceae), Blumea, Vol. 24, No. 2, 1978, p. 405- 430. Drawings on p. 407, 413, 415, 420, 423, 426.
Vellinga, Else C. & Jan Schreurs, ‘Notulae ad Floram Agaricinam Neerlandicam – VIII: Pluteus Fr. in West-Europe’, Persoonia, Vol. 12, part 4, p. 337-373, 1985. Drawings in cooperation with the author on p. 341, 345, 346, 348, 351, 353, 354, 365, 367.
Vogel, E.F. de, ‘Monograph of the Tribe Apostasieae (Orchidaceae)’, Blumea, Vol. 17, No. 2, 1969, p. 313-350. Drawings on p. 326, 332, 334, 339, 342, 345.
Walt, J.J.A. van der, ‘The South West African Species of Commiphora’, Mitt. Bot. München, 12, p. 195-266, 1975. Drawings on p. 261, 262, 263.
Water, Th.P.M. van de, ‘A Taxonomic Revision of the Genus Sabia (Sabiaceae)’, Blumea, Vol. 26, 1980, p. 1-64. Drawings on p. 6, 7, 10, 11, 37, 45.
White, James J. & Donald E. Wendel, Catalogue 6th International Exhibition of Botanical Art & Illustration, 8 April to 31 July 1988, Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation, p. 20-21, drawing on p. 21.
Wilde, W.J.J.O. de, A Monograph of the Genus Adena Forsk. (Passifloraceae). Wageningen: H. Veenman & Zonen N.V. [Dissertation 24 November 1971]. Also published as: Mededelingen Landbouwhogeschool Wageningen 71-18 (1971). Drawings on p. 25, 80, 85, 86, 121, 131, 138, 145, 162, 171, 183, 190, 205, 233, 238, 247, 274.
Category:1926 births
Category:2022 deaths
Category:Botanical illustrators
Category:Photographers
Category:Dutch people