Portrait of Edgar Douglas, first Baron Adrian
Date
1955
Sitter
Edgar Douglas Adrian, 1st Baron Adrian of Cambridge (1889 - 1977, British) , Physiologist
Creator
Arthur Ralph Middleton Todd (1891 - 1966, British) , Painter
Object type
Archive reference number
Material
Dimensions
height (painting): 1278mm
width (painting): 1024mm
width (painting): 1024mm
Subject
Content object
Description
A three-quarter length seated portrait of Adrian in a business suit wearing plain black teaching gown. The subject is wearing wire-framed half-moon spectacles and is shown with hands folded, fingers interlaced. A scrolled wooden chair arm is visible at the sitter’s left elbow. The background is painted wooden panelling above and a set of half-sized bookcases.
Edgar Douglas Adrian was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1923, he served as its President from 1950 to 1955.
Edgar Douglas Adrian was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1923, he served as its President from 1950 to 1955.
Transcription
LORD ADRIAN PRESIDENT 1950-5 by A.R.MIDDLETON TODD
Object history
Commissioned by the Royal Society, 1955.
The commissioning process is described in the minutes of the Society’s Library Committee, the Chairman of which, Edward Neville da Costa Andrade FRS (1887-1971) liaised with the President on artist selection. [Minutes of the Library Committee of the Royal Society, CMB/47/6, meeting of 26 May 1954, p.4]. By 1 July 1955 it was reported “that, with the President’s approval, the portrait had been entrusted to A.R.Middleton Todd, R.A., and that the artist was already engaged in the painting.” [Minutes of the Library Committee of the Royal Society, CMB/47/6, meeting of 1 July 1955, p.29]. The work was completed and accepted at the Anniversary Meeting, November 1955. [Minutes of the Library Committee of the Royal Society, CMB/47/6, meeting of 26 June 1956, p.35].
Officers’ Minutes note an almost immediate request from the British Medical Journal on 15 December 1955 to reproduce the portrait. [Royal Society Minutes of Officers’ Meetings OM/66(55), CMB/87g meeting of 15 December 1955. Presumably as part of the article “Lord Adrian on the functions of the Royal Society”, BMJ 1955;2:1443].
Correspondence on the commissioning and execution of the portrait is with the artist’s papers at the Royal Academy, London [GB 0397 Royal Academy of Arts Archive, A.R.Middleton Todd, RA, papers 1918-1966, TOD/3/7/50 Correspondence relating to the portrait of Lord Adrian].
The commissioning process is described in the minutes of the Society’s Library Committee, the Chairman of which, Edward Neville da Costa Andrade FRS (1887-1971) liaised with the President on artist selection. [Minutes of the Library Committee of the Royal Society, CMB/47/6, meeting of 26 May 1954, p.4]. By 1 July 1955 it was reported “that, with the President’s approval, the portrait had been entrusted to A.R.Middleton Todd, R.A., and that the artist was already engaged in the painting.” [Minutes of the Library Committee of the Royal Society, CMB/47/6, meeting of 1 July 1955, p.29]. The work was completed and accepted at the Anniversary Meeting, November 1955. [Minutes of the Library Committee of the Royal Society, CMB/47/6, meeting of 26 June 1956, p.35].
Officers’ Minutes note an almost immediate request from the British Medical Journal on 15 December 1955 to reproduce the portrait. [Royal Society Minutes of Officers’ Meetings OM/66(55), CMB/87g meeting of 15 December 1955. Presumably as part of the article “Lord Adrian on the functions of the Royal Society”, BMJ 1955;2:1443].
Correspondence on the commissioning and execution of the portrait is with the artist’s papers at the Royal Academy, London [GB 0397 Royal Academy of Arts Archive, A.R.Middleton Todd, RA, papers 1918-1966, TOD/3/7/50 Correspondence relating to the portrait of Lord Adrian].
Associated place