Credit: © The Royal Society
    Image number: RS.9283
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    Portrait of Martin Folkes

    Date
    ca. 1740
    Sitter
    Martin Folkes (1690 - 1754, British) , Antiquary
    Creator
    William Hogarth (1697 - 1764, British) , Painter
    Object type
    Archive reference number
    Material
    Dimensions
    height (painting): 735mm
    width (painting): 620mm
    Subject
    Description
    Half length portrait of Martin Folkes, depicted full-faced and wigged against clouds and woodland. Folkes wears a brown coat and waistcoat, both with gold buttons and both open to the waist. This reveals a white linen shirt, ruffled at the wrist and white necktie. The sitter’s right hand is visible, with the index finger extended.

    Martin Folkes (1690–1754), British antiquary and natural philosopher, was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1714. He served as its Vice President from 1722-1723 and 1733-1741, and President from 1741 to 1752.
    Transcription
    MARTINUS FOLKES, P.R.S
    Royal Burlington House
    National Gallery of Scotland 1963, Allan Ramsay his Masters and Rivals Martin Folkes (1690-1754) by Will.Hogarth. The property of the Royal Society, Burlington House, London W.1.
    name and address for return

    Royal Society, Burlington House London 2
    Manchester City Art Gallery
    UNIVERSAL INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION...BRUSSELLS...85 British Exhibition of ‘Old Masters’.
    Object history
    Presented by Martin Folkes, 1742.

    The Society’s Journal Book records that: “The President made the Society a Present of his Picture painted by Mr. Hogarth...” [Royal Society Journal Book Original JBO/18, p.453, meeting of 11 November 1742].

    By 1768, a copying request was made by Sir James Burrow: “Orderd that the picture of Martin Folkes Esq. Be deliverd to the President, for the purpose of taking a copy of it.” [Royal Society Council Minutes, Original, CMO/5 1763-1768 22 September 1768, p.331].

    Copies of this portrait were made in 1768 and 1895 [Royal Society Minutes of Council, Printed, CMP vol.7 1892-1898 13 June 1895, pp.177, “It was agreed, upon the instance of Prof. McKenny Hughes, to give permission to the Rev. H.J. Carter to have a copy made upon the Society’s premises of a portrait of Martin Folkes, in the possession of the Royal Society”] and it was extensively reproduced in print form, including by Hogarth.

    The Society’s portraits of Francis Bacon and Isaac Newton (by Vanderbank) were also bequeathed to the Royal Society by Martin Folkes.
    Associated place
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