Credit: © The Royal Society
Image number: RS.9555
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Portrait of Charles Wheatstone
Date
1860s
Sitter
Charles Wheatstone (1802 - 1875, British) , Inventor
Creator
Charles Martin (1820 - 1906, British) , Painter
Object type
Archive reference number
Material
Dimensions
height (painting): 914mm
width (painting): 609mm
width (painting): 609mm
Subject
Content object
Description
Half length seated portrait of Charles Wheatstone, the sitter’s body turned to the viewer’s left. Wheatstone wears a black or dark brown suit with a white shirt and black tie. He is shown wearing spectacles and holding a sheaf of papers in his left hand.
Charles Wheatstone was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1836.
Charles Wheatstone was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1836.
Transcription
CM
SIR CHARLES WHEATSTONE, F.R.S. (1802-71) by C.MARTIN.
SIR CHARLES WHEATSTONE, F.R.S. (1802-71) by C.MARTIN.
Object history
Bequeathed by Charles Wheatstone, 1875.
The gift is noted in Council Minutes and the portrait had been received by December 1875: “The Treasurer reported that he had received from the Executors of the late Sir Charles Wheatstone, in accordance with the terms of his Will, a Portrait in oil of the Hon.Robert Boyle, by Kneller; a Portrait in oil of Sir C.Wheatstone, by C.Martin; and nineteen framed lithographic and photographic portraits of scientific men.” [Royal Society Minutes of Council, Printed, CMP/4, 1870-1877, p.295 meeting of 16 December 1875]. The Society retains the original correspondence surrounding the bequest. [Royal Society, Miscellaneous Correspondence MC/10/303, 314, 318, 391].
The Society’s portrait of Robert Boyle, by John Riley, formed part of the same acquisition.
The gift is noted in Council Minutes and the portrait had been received by December 1875: “The Treasurer reported that he had received from the Executors of the late Sir Charles Wheatstone, in accordance with the terms of his Will, a Portrait in oil of the Hon.Robert Boyle, by Kneller; a Portrait in oil of Sir C.Wheatstone, by C.Martin; and nineteen framed lithographic and photographic portraits of scientific men.” [Royal Society Minutes of Council, Printed, CMP/4, 1870-1877, p.295 meeting of 16 December 1875]. The Society retains the original correspondence surrounding the bequest. [Royal Society, Miscellaneous Correspondence MC/10/303, 314, 318, 391].
The Society’s portrait of Robert Boyle, by John Riley, formed part of the same acquisition.
Associated place