Credit: ©The Royal Society
Image number: RS.9713
Looking for a special gift? Buy a print of this image.
Portrait of Albrecht von Haller
Date
1765
Sitter
Albrecht von Haller (1708 - 1777, Swiss) , Anatomist
Creator
Possibly Charles Stoppelaer (Irish) , Painter
Object type
Archive reference number
Material
Dimensions
height (painting): 765mm
width (painting): 645mm
width (painting): 645mm
Subject
Content object
Description
Half-length portrait of Albrecht von Haller, apparently seated in front of a small table upon which is a book inscribed “Physiologia”, upon which von Haller rests his right hand. The sitter wears a short grey wig and is dressed in a white shirt and cravat with a light brown coat and waistcoat, the latter piped with gold and each with gold buttons.
Albrecht von Haller was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1739.
Albrecht von Haller was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1739.
Transcription
A von Haller
Haller
S14
C.V.Stoppelaer pinx 1765
the above is a fac-simile of the writing on the back of the original canvas
ALBRECHT VON HALLER, F.R.S. (1708-77) by C.V.STOPPELAER
Haller
S14
C.V.Stoppelaer pinx 1765
the above is a fac-simile of the writing on the back of the original canvas
ALBRECHT VON HALLER, F.R.S. (1708-77) by C.V.STOPPELAER
Object history
Presented by William Sharpey FRS (1802-1880), 1877.
The original letter of donation is preserved in the Society’s archives: “I take leave to offer for the acceptance of the Royal Society the accompanying Portrait, painted, as appears from an inscription on the back, by C von Stoppelaur [possibly Charles Stoppelaer, active 1703-1756] in 1765, and believed to be a likeness of Haller. I regret I am unable to give any history of the Picture except that M. Michel a foreign gentleman from whom I acquired it informed me that it had been for many years in the possession of his Wife’s family and was reported to be a Portrait of Haller. The date 1765 would correspond with the 57th year of Haler’s life.” [Letter, William Sharpey, 14 November1877, to Joseph Dalton Hooker, Royal Society Miscellaneous Correspondence, MC/11/120].
The original letter of donation is preserved in the Society’s archives: “I take leave to offer for the acceptance of the Royal Society the accompanying Portrait, painted, as appears from an inscription on the back, by C von Stoppelaur [possibly Charles Stoppelaer, active 1703-1756] in 1765, and believed to be a likeness of Haller. I regret I am unable to give any history of the Picture except that M. Michel a foreign gentleman from whom I acquired it informed me that it had been for many years in the possession of his Wife’s family and was reported to be a Portrait of Haller. The date 1765 would correspond with the 57th year of Haler’s life.” [Letter, William Sharpey, 14 November1877, to Joseph Dalton Hooker, Royal Society Miscellaneous Correspondence, MC/11/120].
Associated place