Portrait of Christopher Wren
Date
early 19th century
Sitter
Christopher Wren (1632 - 1723, British) , Architect
Creator
John Swaine (1775 - 1860, British) , Engraver
After
Godfrey Kneller (1646 - 1723, British) , Artist
Object type
Archive reference number
Material
Technique
Dimensions
height (print): 182mm
width (print): 110mm
width (print): 110mm
Subject
Description
Head and shoulders study of Christopher Wren, shown looking directly at the viewer, body turned to the right as viewed. Wearing a wig, coat, waistcoat and cravat. Presented in an oval frame, with a specimen of handwriting and signatures below.
Plate from a grangerized copy of A history of the Royal Society, with memoirs of the Presidents…by Charles Richard Weld (London, John W. Parker, 1848). In this edition, the original two volumes were extended to eight volumes with the addition of extra-illustrations and documents, by Alexander Meyrick Broadley.
The engraving appears at p.42, as Weld’s text quotes from a 1658 letter by Matthew Wren to Christopher Wren, noting Gresham College’s use as a garrison.
Inscribed below: ‘Sr. Christopher Wren. From an Original by Sr. Godfrey Kneller. Swaine sc.’
Sir Christopher Wren (1632-1723) British architect, was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1660 and was therefore a Founding Fellow. He served as President 1680-1682.
Plate from a grangerized copy of A history of the Royal Society, with memoirs of the Presidents…by Charles Richard Weld (London, John W. Parker, 1848). In this edition, the original two volumes were extended to eight volumes with the addition of extra-illustrations and documents, by Alexander Meyrick Broadley.
The engraving appears at p.42, as Weld’s text quotes from a 1658 letter by Matthew Wren to Christopher Wren, noting Gresham College’s use as a garrison.
Inscribed below: ‘Sr. Christopher Wren. From an Original by Sr. Godfrey Kneller. Swaine sc.’
Sir Christopher Wren (1632-1723) British architect, was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1660 and was therefore a Founding Fellow. He served as President 1680-1682.
Object history
Print from Charles Richard Weld's A history of the Royal Society, vol. 1... (London, John W. Parker, 1848) grangerized by the writer and collector Alexander Meyrick Broadley (1847–1916) into 8 volumes, adding illustrative material and manuscript items to Weld's text. The books were initially owned by Ludwig Mond FRS (1839–1909), and according to an inscription by his son Robert Ludwig Mond FRS (1867–1938) they were intended for presentation to the Society. This eventually happened in late 1959, the donor being the politician Harry Nathan (1889–1963), Lord Nathan of Churt.
Related fellows
Charles Richard Weld (1813 - 1869, British) , Author
Associated place