Image number: RS.9624

    Portrait of Cyril Hinshelwood

    Date
    1960
    Sitter
    Cyril Norman Hinshelwood (1897 - 1967, British) , Chemist
    Creator
    Gerald Festus Kelly (1879 - 1972, British) , Painter
    Object type
    Archive reference number
    Material
    Dimensions
    height (painting): 1352mm
    width (painting): 1043mm
    Subject
    Content object
    Description
    Hinshelwood is painted sitting casually in a wooden armchair, three quarter length, dressed in red academic robes over a grey suit, white shirt and grey silk tie. His left arm rests on a writing table placed in front of a low bookcase. The most visibly-placed book on the table is a volume half-bound in cream leather and crimson cloth and spine labels from Hinshelwood’s collected Scientific papers (9 volumes in all). [Royal Society Miscellaneous Manuscripts MM/22/4 C. N. Hinshelwood – G. F. Kelly, 27 June 1960].

    Hinshelwood’s oriental interests are represented by two Chinese cloisonee vases on top of the bookcase flanking a Transylvanian prayer-mat used as a wall hanging.

    The portrait marks Hinshelwood as President at the time of the Royal Society’s tercentenary celebrations and shortly after his Order of Merit award (in April 1960).

    Sir Cyril Hinshelwood was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1929, he served as its President from 1955 to 1960.
    Transcription
    Kelly
    SIR CYRIL HINSHELWOOD President - 1955-60 by SIR GERALD KELLY
    Object history
    Commissioned by the Royal Society, 1960.

    Sittings for the painting began in April-May 1960 but were delayed by a slipped disc which prevented Kelly from painting during July. [Royal Society Hinshelwood Papers CH/7/41 G. F. Kelly – C N Hinshelwood, 22 July 1960]. The work was apparently completed by November 1960 by which time Hinshelwood wrote to the artist, “how glad I am to feel that I am in a small way the cause of leaving so splendid a Kelly in the Royal Society”. [Royal Society Miscellaneous Manuscripts MM/22/5 C. N. Hinshelwood – G. F. Kelly, 21 November 1960].
    Associated place
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