Portrait of Martin Folkes
Date
early 19th century
Sitter
Martin Folkes (1690 - 1754, British) , Antiquary
Creator
Unknown, Engraver
After
Object type
Archive reference number
Material
Technique
Dimensions
height (print): 160mm
width (print): 105mm
width (print): 105mm
Subject
Description
Three-quarter length seated portrait of Martin Folkes, occupying the President’s chair of the Royal Society, mounted with the Society’s coat-of-arms. The Society’s mace appears to the right of the picture, where Folkes holds a copy of the Royal Society’s statutes in his left hand, resting upon a covered table. He holds an upturned tricorn hat in his right hand. Folkes is turned to the right as viewed and is dressed in a wig, coat, shirt and cravat.
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 print appears at p.386 in volume 4 of the adapted set of Weld’s History. The text describes the role of Martin Folkes in 1736, proposing that a Copley Medal should be created by the Royal Society. The print appeared originally in The Universal Magazine.
The print has been cropped at the top and bottom. The plate had an inscription above, originally: ‘Engraved for the Universal Magazine’. Inscribed below: ‘Martin Folkes Esqr. Late President of the Royal Society.’. The printer’s acknowledgement is missing: ‘For J. Hinton at the King’s Arms in Newgate Street.’.
Martin Folkes (1690-1754) British antiquary and natural philosopher, was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1714. He served as President of the Royal Society, 1741-1752.
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 print appears at p.386 in volume 4 of the adapted set of Weld’s History. The text describes the role of Martin Folkes in 1736, proposing that a Copley Medal should be created by the Royal Society. The print appeared originally in The Universal Magazine.
The print has been cropped at the top and bottom. The plate had an inscription above, originally: ‘Engraved for the Universal Magazine’. Inscribed below: ‘Martin Folkes Esqr. Late President of the Royal Society.’. The printer’s acknowledgement is missing: ‘For J. Hinton at the King’s Arms in Newgate Street.’.
Martin Folkes (1690-1754) British antiquary and natural philosopher, was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1714. He served as President of the Royal Society, 1741-1752.
Object history
Print from Charles Richard Weld's A history of the Royal Society, vol. 4... (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