Credit: © The Royal Society
Image number: RS.9240
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Portrait of James Burrow
Date
ca. 1742
Sitter
Sir James Burrow (1701 - 1782, British) , Law reporter
Creator
Jean-Baptiste van Loo (1684 - 1745, French) , Painter
Object type
Archive reference number
Material
Dimensions
height (framed canvas): 1430mm
width (framed canvas): 1190mm
width (framed canvas): 1190mm
Subject
Description
Portrait of James Burrow on an Italian-style balcony with a landscape background of hills and woodland, a door behind partly hidden by green drapery. Burrow is seated on a high-backed green velvet-covered chair with a foreground marble-topped table. Volumes 1 and 2 of the Royal Society’s Philosophical Transactions are on the table, bound in brown calf. The sitter’s elbow rests on the second of these and holds the first volume upright, spine facing the viewer.
Burrow is shown three-quarter length, wearing a shoulder-length wig. He has a red velvet coat with matching buttons and breeches, white shirt, neck-cloth and stockings, and a turquoise waistcoat, richly-embroidered or brocaded in gold.
Sir James Burrow (1701-1782), British law reporter, was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1737. He served as interim President of the Royal Society on two occasions, the first lasting from September to November 1768, and the second from July to November 1772.
Burrow is shown three-quarter length, wearing a shoulder-length wig. He has a red velvet coat with matching buttons and breeches, white shirt, neck-cloth and stockings, and a turquoise waistcoat, richly-embroidered or brocaded in gold.
Sir James Burrow (1701-1782), British law reporter, was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1737. He served as interim President of the Royal Society on two occasions, the first lasting from September to November 1768, and the second from July to November 1772.
Transcription
SIR JAMES BURROW KNt. P.R.S.
SIR JAMES BURROW PRESIDENT 1768 AND 1772 (FOR SHORT PERIODS) BY JEAN BAPTISTE VANLOO
meeting room grd.
R. Society July 4 88 Frame 1
Sir J. Burrow
SIR JAMES BURROW PRESIDENT 1768 AND 1772 (FOR SHORT PERIODS) BY JEAN BAPTISTE VANLOO
meeting room grd.
R. Society July 4 88 Frame 1
Sir J. Burrow
Object history
James Burrow presented this portrait to the Royal Society in 1777. He also presented an engraving by Basire to the Royal Society in 1780.
The likeness was solicited at a meeting of Council of the Royal Society on 19 June 1777. “The Council requested of the President [Sir John Pringle] that he would favour them with his picture. The President returned thanks to the Council for the honour done him but added that he would not allow any expense to be incurred upon that account by the Society & that he intended to present it himself. Ordered that the like request be made to Sir James Burrow who was not at that time present, but afterwards made a like declaration”. [Royal Society Minutes of Council CMO/6 19 June 1777 vol 6 1769-1778 p.317].
The formal donation is recorded in an ordinary meeting of the Society on 6 November 1777. “Sir James Burrow highly sensible of the great honour done him by the Council on the 19th of June last, takes the liberty (in compliances with their desire) of requesting the Society’s favourable acceptances of his picture; conscious, however of his want of any pretension to mix with those very ingenious & eminent men whose portraits adorn their meeting room; & sincerely regretting that his abilities bear so small a proportion to his inclination to serve this learned & respectable body” [Royal Society Journal Book JBO/29 6 November 1777 vol 29 1776-1779 p.389].
The likeness was solicited at a meeting of Council of the Royal Society on 19 June 1777. “The Council requested of the President [Sir John Pringle] that he would favour them with his picture. The President returned thanks to the Council for the honour done him but added that he would not allow any expense to be incurred upon that account by the Society & that he intended to present it himself. Ordered that the like request be made to Sir James Burrow who was not at that time present, but afterwards made a like declaration”. [Royal Society Minutes of Council CMO/6 19 June 1777 vol 6 1769-1778 p.317].
The formal donation is recorded in an ordinary meeting of the Society on 6 November 1777. “Sir James Burrow highly sensible of the great honour done him by the Council on the 19th of June last, takes the liberty (in compliances with their desire) of requesting the Society’s favourable acceptances of his picture; conscious, however of his want of any pretension to mix with those very ingenious & eminent men whose portraits adorn their meeting room; & sincerely regretting that his abilities bear so small a proportion to his inclination to serve this learned & respectable body” [Royal Society Journal Book JBO/29 6 November 1777 vol 29 1776-1779 p.389].
Associated place