Today’s Doodle celebrates French botanist and explorer Jeanne Barret on her 280th birthday. In 1766, Barret departed France aboard the ship Étoile (Star) as part of an exploratory expedition and upon her return made history as the first woman to circle the globe.

Jeanne Barret was born on this day in 1740 in the historic town of Autun in central France. Thanks to a rural upbringing, she became adept at identifying plants and earned recognition as a local specialist in plant medicine. In the early 1760s, she began working for the noted botanist Philibert Commerson.

When France organized its first circumnavigation of the globe in 1765, Commerson was invited along as the group’s botanist. French laws barred women from navy ships, so in order to serve as his assistant, Barret disguised herself as a man. The pair collected over 6,000 plant specimens during the voyage.

Today, many credit Barret alone for the European discovery of the now-famous bougainvillea vine while the crew was stopped in Brazil. Depicted in the Doodle artwork is a bougainvillea vine in bloom, wrapping around an inquisitive Barret aboard the Étoile.

Eventually, Barret’s disguise was found out in Tahiti, and she and Commerson ended their journey early on the island of Mauritius in 1768. Barret remained there for years before she finally returned to France, which marked the official completion of her circumnavigation.

In 2012, Barret was finally given a botanical honor that eluded her during her lifetime, when a newly discovered plant from the Solanum genus–which includes potatoes, tomatoes, and eggplants–was given the species name baretiae.

Thank you, Jeanne Barret, for opening the door for generations of explorers

Doodler Q&A

Today’s Doodle art was created by Doodler Sophie Diao.
Below, she shares some thoughts on the making of the Doodle:

Q: What was your creative approach for this Doodle? Why did you choose this approach?

A: I started by gathering references that could be inspiring – 1760s nautical maps, botanical samples, illustrations previously made of Jeanne Barret. I wanted the Doodle to combine her botanist side with her adventuring side. Being the first woman to circumnavigate the globe is no small feat!

Q: Did you draw inspiration from anything in particular for this Doodle?

A: Bougainvillea! Jeanne Barret took a sample of this flowering vine when she was traveling in Brazil. I have always loved this plant, and I definitely wanted to include it!

Q: What do you hope people will take away from this Doodle?

A: That history is full of unique stories of adventurers like Jeanne Barret, and sometimes the truth is stranger than fiction.

Early concepts and sketches of the Doodle

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Marine Day 2011

This Doodle's Reach

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