Sculpture bust of William Crookes
Date
1908
Sitter
William Crookes (1832 - 1919, British) , Knight Chemist, Chemist
Creator
Conrad Dressler (1856 - 1940, British) , Sculptor
Object type
Archive reference number
Material
Dimensions
height (sculpture): 609mm
width (sculpture): 490mm
depth (sculpture): mm
height (pedestal): 129mm
width (pedestal): 178mm
depth (pedestal): 176mm
width (sculpture): 490mm
depth (sculpture): mm
height (pedestal): 129mm
width (pedestal): 178mm
depth (pedestal): 176mm
Subject
Description
Bust of William Crookes, bearded and dressed in a jacket [or labcoat] over waistcoat, shirt and tie. On a square marble pedestal.
Sir William Crookes was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1863 and served as President 1913-1915.
Sir William Crookes was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1863 and served as President 1913-1915.
Object history
Provenance: Presented by the artist, 1920.
The donation is recorded in the Royal Society’s Council Minutes: ‘A letter (August 25, 1920), was read from Mr. Conrad Dressler offering to present to the Royal Society the bust of Sir William Crookes. Resolved that the thanks of the Society be transmitted to Mr. Dressler.’ Royal Society Minutes of Council, Printed, v.11 1914-1920, minute 17, meeting 21 Oct 1920, p.527.
Earlier entries in the same volume indicate that Crookes had offered the bust of himself to the Society in 1918. Royal Society Minutes of Council, Printed, v.11 1914-1920, minute 4, meeting 20 June 1918, p.313. A year later, the President was informed through a letter from the executors of Sir William Crookes, that the presentation of the bust had been made under a misapprehension by Crookes to the conditions on which the bust had been placed by the sculptor, who now claimed property. It was resolved that the bust be returned to Dressler. Royal Society Minutes of Council, Printed, v.11 1914-1920, minute 8, meeting 12 June 1919, p.398.
The donation is recorded in the Royal Society’s Council Minutes: ‘A letter (August 25, 1920), was read from Mr. Conrad Dressler offering to present to the Royal Society the bust of Sir William Crookes. Resolved that the thanks of the Society be transmitted to Mr. Dressler.’ Royal Society Minutes of Council, Printed, v.11 1914-1920, minute 17, meeting 21 Oct 1920, p.527.
Earlier entries in the same volume indicate that Crookes had offered the bust of himself to the Society in 1918. Royal Society Minutes of Council, Printed, v.11 1914-1920, minute 4, meeting 20 June 1918, p.313. A year later, the President was informed through a letter from the executors of Sir William Crookes, that the presentation of the bust had been made under a misapprehension by Crookes to the conditions on which the bust had been placed by the sculptor, who now claimed property. It was resolved that the bust be returned to Dressler. Royal Society Minutes of Council, Printed, v.11 1914-1920, minute 8, meeting 12 June 1919, p.398.