‘Presentation of the Davy Medal’
Date
1903
Sitter
William Huggins (1824 - 1910, British) , Astronomer
Pierre Curie (1859 - 1906, French) , Physicist
Joseph Larmor (1857 - 1942, British) , Physicist, Theoretical physicist
Pierre Curie (1859 - 1906, French) , Physicist
Joseph Larmor (1857 - 1942, British) , Physicist, Theoretical physicist
Creator
Samuel Begg (1854 - 1936, New Zealander) , Illustrator
Object type
Image reference
Material
Technique
Dimensions
height (print): 188mm
width (print): 280mm
width (print): 280mm
Subject
Content object
Description
Group portrait, showing the Royal Society’s President, Sir William Huggins (centre left), handing the 1903 Davy Medal to Pierre Curie (centre right). Also present are Society Officers, including Joseph Larmor (right). The composition shows the Meeting Room in Burlington House, London, with regalia including the Royal Society’s mace, President’s chair with the coat of arms; the portrait of Sir Isaac Newton by John Vanderbank behind.
Illustration from The Illustrated London News, 16 June 1903. Captioned below: ‘ENGLISH HONOUR FOR THE FRENCH DISCOVERES OF RADIUM: THE ROYAL SOCIETY’S PRESENTATION OF THE DAVY MEDAL TO M. AND MADAME CURIE. DRAWN BY S. BEGG, OUR ARTIST, WHO WAS PRESENT BY THE SPECIAL PERMISSION OF THE SOCIETY.’ Signed lower right ‘S. BEGG’.
The text goes on to explain: ‘The Davy Medal is awarded for the greatest chemical discovery of the year. Madame Curie could not be present owing to the rules of the Society, but her name was associated with that of her husband by Sir William Huggins, who made the presentation on November 30.’
Sir William Huggins (1824-1910), British astronomer, was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1865. He served as President of the Royal Society, 1900-1905.
Pierre Curie (1859-1906) French physicist.
Sir Joseph Larmor (1857-1942), British theoretical physicist, was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1892. He served as Secretary of the Royal Society 1901-1912.
Illustration from The Illustrated London News, 16 June 1903. Captioned below: ‘ENGLISH HONOUR FOR THE FRENCH DISCOVERES OF RADIUM: THE ROYAL SOCIETY’S PRESENTATION OF THE DAVY MEDAL TO M. AND MADAME CURIE. DRAWN BY S. BEGG, OUR ARTIST, WHO WAS PRESENT BY THE SPECIAL PERMISSION OF THE SOCIETY.’ Signed lower right ‘S. BEGG’.
The text goes on to explain: ‘The Davy Medal is awarded for the greatest chemical discovery of the year. Madame Curie could not be present owing to the rules of the Society, but her name was associated with that of her husband by Sir William Huggins, who made the presentation on November 30.’
Sir William Huggins (1824-1910), British astronomer, was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1865. He served as President of the Royal Society, 1900-1905.
Pierre Curie (1859-1906) French physicist.
Sir Joseph Larmor (1857-1942), British theoretical physicist, was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1892. He served as Secretary of the Royal Society 1901-1912.
Object history
Purchased by the Royal Society, 2021.United
Associated place