Projection of Mary Wollstonecraft onto the Houses of Parliament

What it is

This is a photograph by NeilWissink, dated 16 November 2011. It shows the Houses of Parliament in London at night, beside the Thames, with a projected image on one tower. The projection reads 'maryonthegreen.org, Support the Wollstonecraft Project' and shows a portrait of Mary Wollstonecraft. The projection was made by Maryonthegreen.org.

Why it matters

Wollstonecraft (1759–1797) wrote A Vindication of the Rights of Woman, one of the earliest major arguments for women's rights. Placing her image on the seat of Britain's parliament in 2011 shows how her reputation was honoured long after her death. The photograph tells us more about how people in the 21st century remember her than about her own life.

Look closer

• What does the choice of a building like Parliament suggest about how the organisers wanted Wollstonecraft to be seen?
• Who organised the projection, and what was it trying to achieve?
• What does a modern event like this leave out about Wollstonecraft's own time and words?