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    Portrait of Hans Sloane

    Date
    1716
    Sitter
    Hans Sloane (1660 - 1753, Irish) , Physician
    Creator
    Godfrey Kneller (1646 - 1723, British) , Painter
    Object type
    Archive reference number
    Material
    Dimensions
    height (painting): 762mm
    width (painting): 629mm
    Subject
    Description
    Head and shoulders portrait of Sir Hans Sloane in a painted oval, body turned to the left as viewed. Sloane wears a shoulder-length grey wig, brown coat and has a white lace-trimmed neck-cloth.

    Sir Hans Sloane (1660-1753), Irish physician and collector, was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1685, served on its Council from 1690 and as its president from 1727-1741. He was a famous collector, and in building and researching his plant, animal and curio specimen collection, he is known to have relied on contacts involved in colonial networks, and often indigenous and enslaved peoples.
    Transcription
    Sr. Hans Sloane Baronet 1716
    SR. HANS SLOANE
    Exhibition of portraits of Great Irish men and women, Ulster Museum, Belfast, 24th June-24th July 1965. No.201. Lent by the Royal Society.
    James Bourlet and Sons Ltd., Fine Art packers, frame makers. N.28754
    R.Society frame 2
    SIR HANS SLOANE, Bart., Pres.R.S. by SIR GODFREY KNELLER.
    Object history
    Presented by Sir Hans Sloane, 1716.

    Noted in the Society’s Journal Book: “Sir Hans Sloane’s Picture was presented by him to the Society for which he received their Thanks”. [Royal Society Journal Book, Original, JBO/12, meeting of 6 December 1716, p.136].

    President and Council agree to loan portrait of Sir Hans Sloane along with portraits of Dr Wollaston and Dr E W Gray to the Nottingham Art Gallery, 1892. Letter from Herbert Rix to G H Wallis, Jul 1892. NLB/6/728
    Associated place
    <The World>
       > Europe
          > United Kingdom
    <The World>
       > Europe
          > Ireland
    Credit
    ©The Royal Society
    Image number
    RS.9723
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