Marie Görlich was born in 1851 into an artistic family in Moravia, then part of the Austro-Habsburg Empire. She received her training in Munich, with the history and genre painter Theodor Pixis. After that, painting lessons followed at the academy in Vienna. Marie Görlich became especially known for figure and genre scenes, some of which she painted together with her sister Sophie Görlich, five years her junior. In addition, some particularly beautiful and sensitive animal paintings are known from her, such as this wonderful portrait of a green woodpecker. The painter was also known for her illustrations of (children's) books.