Credit: © The Royal Society
    Image number: RS.9348
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    Portrait of Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz

    Date
    ca. 1695
    Sitter
    Gottfried Wilhelm von Leibniz (1646 - 1716, German) , Mathematician
    Creator
    Unknown, Artist
    Object type
    Archive reference number
    Material
    Dimensions
    height (painting): 870mm
    width (painting): 711mm
    Subject
    Description
    Leibniz is shown at half-length in a painted oval. He wears a dark shoulder-length wig and is dressed in a white shirt, with gold and jewelled clasps at the throat and cuffs with a gold waistcoat. Over this, a red loose robe trimmed with blue collar and cuffs. In his left hand he holds a paper listing his achievements, commencing: “Opus philosophicum. De Arte Combinatoria. Nova calculi differentialis…”.

    Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1673.
    Transcription
    G.W.LEIBNITZ F.R.S. (1648-1714)
    G.W.Leibitz (1746-1716)
    Guglielmo Gottifredo Barone di Leibnitz – Celebre Matematico, ritrovatore del calcolo integrale differenziale – nato a Lipsia nel 1646 – morto ne 1716 di Anni 70. Dizionario Storico di Lavocat – Vol.IV
    Object history
    Presented by Dr Wilson of Florence, 1883 (donated with the Society’s portrait of Vincenzo Viviani).

    The presentation is noted in Council Minutes: “ Dr Wilson, of the Palazzo Piccolini, Florence, having offered, in an interview with the Assistant Secretary, to present to the Society a portrait of Leibnitz and of Viviani, it was – Resolved, – That Dr. Wilson’s valuable offer of the two portraits be cordially accepted...“ [Royal Society Council Minutes, Printed, vol.5 1878-1884, p.400, meeting of 25 October 1883].
    Associated place
    <The World>
       > Europe
          > Germany
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