Charles Darwin (Collier)
| Charles Darwin | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Artist | John Collier |
| Year | 1883 |
| Medium | Oil on canvas |
| Dimensions | 125.7 cm × 96.5 cm (49.5 in × 38.0 in) |
| Location | National Portrait Gallery, London |
Charles Darwin is the title of two oil on canvas portraits by English painter John Collier. The first is from 1881 and is held at the Linnean Society of London, while the second, and better known version, is from 1883, and is at the National Portrait Gallery, in London.[1]
History and description
The naturalist Charles Darwin was 72 years old when he sit for the original portrait in 1881. The Linnean Society decided to commissionate a portrait that they believed would be the ultimate likeness of him. He is depicted as a bald and bearded old man, standing, on a dark background, while looking directly at the viewer, with his long white beard denoting his age, dressed in a loose cloak and holding his hat in his left hand. The second version was considered an improvement upon the original. People who knew better Darwin where impressed with its resemblance and realism, and many of them believed that this was the best portrait ever made of him. This was the scientist own opinion, according to his son, Francis Darwin: "Many of those who knew his face most intimately, think that Mr Collier's picture is the best of the portraits and in this judgement the sitter himself was inclined to agree." Darwin in fact stated that "Collier was the most considerate, kind and pleasant painter a sitter could desire."[2][3][4] The portrait became very popular and was widely reproduced afterwards.[5][6]
Provenance
The portrait held at the National Portrait Gallery was offered by William Erasmus Darwin, in 1896, thirteen years after the death of Darwin.[7]
References
- ^ Charles Darwin, National Portrait Gallery
- ^ Charles Darwin, National Portrait Gallery
- ^ John Cooper, A Guide to the National Portrait Gallery, 2009, p. 43
- ^ Francis Darwin, The Life and Letters of Charles Darwin, Including an Autobiographical Chapter · Volume 3, Harvard University, 1887, pp. 222-223
- ^ Elinor Shaffer, Thomas F. Glick, The Literary and Cultural Reception of Charles Darwin in Europe, Bloomsbury Publishing, p. 141
- ^ About Darwin - Portraits of Charles Darwin: a catalogue 1.18 John Collier, oil in Linnean, Darwin Correspondence Project, University of Cambridge
- ^ Charles Darwin, National Portrait Gallery