Enchantress of Numers

This beautiful young noblewoman was the world's first computer programmer. Detail shots can be seen here: [link]

Ada Lovelace was the only legitimate child of the infamous poet Lord Byron. Afraid that their daughter would turn out like her father, Ada's mother raised her alone once Byron left England for the last time. She saw to it that Ada was thoroughly tutored in math and science, making her something of a curiosity as a young, Early Victorian noblewoman. She began corresponding with Charles Babbage, intrigued by his analytical engine. While Babbage's analytical engine was never completed in either of their lifetimes due to the material limitations of the time, in later years her program was tested and worked. Babbage described her in his letters as an "Enchantress of Numbers."

The collage itself is made from software manual pages stained with dye and ink, printed papers and lace, accented with gold paint and touches of glitter to play up the idea of her as an enchantress. It measures 8x10 inches and is mounted on canvasboard. The numbers down the right hand side represent the first part of the Fibonacci sequence.