Credit: © The Royal Society
Image number: RS.8356
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Portrait of George Buchanan
Date
16th century
Sitter
George Buchanan (1506 - 1582, British) , Historian
Creator
Attributed to Frans Pourbus (1545 - 1581, Flemish) , painter
Object type
Archive reference number
Material
Dimensions
height (panel): 420mm
width (panel): 308mm
width (panel): 308mm
Subject
Description
Head and shoulders portrait, facing viewer. Buchanan has receding hair and a greying beard, framed by a white collar.
Transcription
GEORGIUS BUCHANAN SCOTUS
GEORGE BUCHANAN (1506-82)
Attributed to F. POURBUS
G. Buchanan
GEORGE BUCHANAN (1506-82)
Attributed to F. POURBUS
G. Buchanan
Object history
This portrait, with another of Dr (William) Harvey, was presented by Thomas Povey in 1695/6 and noted within the Society’s early museum catalogues (MS/414/11 and MS/416 p.295).
A note at the time of donation suggests that Buchanan’s portrait was brought to England by the diplomat Thomas Randolph (1523-1590) who has known Buchanan in Paris from the 1550s and who became ambassador to Scotland on several missions for Elizabeth I (Royal Society Journal Book Original).
The painting was discussed by William Carruthers FRS in 1906 together with a picture owned by Richard Mead, also attributed to Pourbus. Although accepting that the portrait had been with the Royal Society for 200 years, Carruthers was sceptical about the identity of the sitter, apparently without being aware of the 17th century (albeit unsourced) note on provenance.
A note at the time of donation suggests that Buchanan’s portrait was brought to England by the diplomat Thomas Randolph (1523-1590) who has known Buchanan in Paris from the 1550s and who became ambassador to Scotland on several missions for Elizabeth I (Royal Society Journal Book Original).
The painting was discussed by William Carruthers FRS in 1906 together with a picture owned by Richard Mead, also attributed to Pourbus. Although accepting that the portrait had been with the Royal Society for 200 years, Carruthers was sceptical about the identity of the sitter, apparently without being aware of the 17th century (albeit unsourced) note on provenance.
Associated place