Credit: ©The Royal Society
Image number: RS.9718
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Portrait of George Stokes
Date
1891
Sitter
George Gabriel Stokes (1819 - 1903, British) , Physicist
Creator
Hubert von Herkomer (1849 - 1914, British) , Painter
Object type
Archive reference number
Material
Dimensions
height (painting): 1224mm
width (painting): 989mm
width (painting): 989mm
Subject
Description
Three-quarter length portrait of Sir George Gabriel Stokes, seated, his right hand resting on the armrest to his chair. Stokes is turned slightly to the left as viewed and is dressed in a black suit and tie and a white shirt with a high collar. Over this, a plain black teaching gown. A watch chain is visible at the waistcoat. Stokes has white hair and prominent side-whiskers.
George Stokes was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1851, he served as its President from 1885 to 1890.
George Stokes was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1851, he served as its President from 1885 to 1890.
Transcription
HH 91
Object history
Presented by a committee of subscribers, 1891.
Brief minutes of a Stokes portrait committee are preserved in the Society’s archives: “Sir Henry Roscoe reported that Mr.Herkomer was willing to paint a portrait of Sir Gabriel Stokes half length for 500 Guineas; ¾ length 600 guineas...It was agreed to commission Mr.Herkomer...and to request Mr.Herkomer to arrange with Sir Gabriel Stokes the times for sittings.” [Royal Society Committee Minutes Book, CMB/19/1, minutes of the Stokes Portrait Committee, January-February 1891]. A circular letter soliciting contributions and listing the subscribers is also held [Circular letter, The Royal Society, n.d. [c.1890-1891], commencing “The retirement of Sir George Gabriel Stokes for the office of President...”, Royal Society Provenance File] as is a letter from the artist on completion: “As the portrait of Sir Gabriel Stokes is now finished I hope I shall cause no inconvenience by carrying out my usual custom of of asking for payment when work is done...” [Letter, Herbert Herkomer, 2 December 1891, to John Evans, Royal; Society Miscellaneous Correspondence, MC/15/243].
According to his daughter, Stokes “...was apt to look bored when being painted, and to draw down the corners of his mouth. Thus the portrait by Herkomer at the Royal Society is not satisfactory to those who knew him best.” [“Notes and recollections”, by Mrs.Laurence Humphrey, in The memoir and scientific correspondence of the late George Gabriel Stokes, ed.Joseph Larmor (CUP, Cambridge, 1907) pp.12-13].
Council gives permission for the portrait to be exhibited at the summer exhibtion of the New Gallery, 1892. Letter from Herbert Rix to D J Williams, Dyreham, Bushey, Herts, Apr 1892. NLB/6/290
Brief minutes of a Stokes portrait committee are preserved in the Society’s archives: “Sir Henry Roscoe reported that Mr.Herkomer was willing to paint a portrait of Sir Gabriel Stokes half length for 500 Guineas; ¾ length 600 guineas...It was agreed to commission Mr.Herkomer...and to request Mr.Herkomer to arrange with Sir Gabriel Stokes the times for sittings.” [Royal Society Committee Minutes Book, CMB/19/1, minutes of the Stokes Portrait Committee, January-February 1891]. A circular letter soliciting contributions and listing the subscribers is also held [Circular letter, The Royal Society, n.d. [c.1890-1891], commencing “The retirement of Sir George Gabriel Stokes for the office of President...”, Royal Society Provenance File] as is a letter from the artist on completion: “As the portrait of Sir Gabriel Stokes is now finished I hope I shall cause no inconvenience by carrying out my usual custom of of asking for payment when work is done...” [Letter, Herbert Herkomer, 2 December 1891, to John Evans, Royal; Society Miscellaneous Correspondence, MC/15/243].
According to his daughter, Stokes “...was apt to look bored when being painted, and to draw down the corners of his mouth. Thus the portrait by Herkomer at the Royal Society is not satisfactory to those who knew him best.” [“Notes and recollections”, by Mrs.Laurence Humphrey, in The memoir and scientific correspondence of the late George Gabriel Stokes, ed.Joseph Larmor (CUP, Cambridge, 1907) pp.12-13].
Council gives permission for the portrait to be exhibited at the summer exhibtion of the New Gallery, 1892. Letter from Herbert Rix to D J Williams, Dyreham, Bushey, Herts, Apr 1892. NLB/6/290
Associated place