Credit: © The Royal Society
    Image number: RS.9346
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    Portrait of John Flamsteed

    Date
    1712
    Sitter
    John Flamsteed (1646 - 1719, British) , Astronomer
    Creator
    Thomas Gibson (1680 - 1751, British) , Painter
    Object type
    Archive reference number
    Material
    Dimensions
    height (painting): 1245mm
    width (painting): 1016mm
    Subject
    Content object
    Description
    Three-quarter length painting of Flamsteed, seated on a high-backed green upholstered chair, with a covered table on his left. He wears a black robe with white, squared collar. The sitter holds his right hand to his chest; the left rests on a brown leather-bound volume of his own stellar observations [eventually published posthumously as Atlas Coelestis, 1729] on the tabletop. An architectural pillar is visible behind.

    John Flamsteed was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1677.
    Transcription
    T: Gibson fecit 1712
    ATLAS [?] COELESTIS AB ANNO 1671 AD. 1712.
    National Portait Gallery Exhibition 1866 No. on owner’s list ‘4’ Portrait of ‘John Flamsteed’ Lent by ‘The Royal Society’
    497
    Object history
    Presented by John Belchier, 1772.

    Recorded in the Society’s Journal Book as presented: “A half length portrait of Professor Flamsteed given by Mr, Belchier fellow of this Society.“ [Royal Society Journal Book Original JBO/27 pp.622-623 minute of meeting of 7 May 1772]. This information repeated in the Society’s list of presents for the period. [Royal Society manuscript “A list of objects presented to the Royal Society Museum, 1744-1779” Manuscripts (General) MS/419].
    Associated place
    <The World>
       > Europe
          > United Kingdom
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