Credit: ©The Royal Society
Image number: RS.9756
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Portrait of George Porter
Date
1990
Sitter
George Porter, Baron Porter of Luddenham (1920 - 2002, British) , Chemist
Creator
June Mendoza (1945, British) , Painter
Object type
Archive reference number
Material
Dimensions
height (painting): 1000mm
width (painting): 760mm
width (painting): 760mm
Subject
Content object
Description
Half-length portrait of George Porter, apparently in the President’s Office of the Royal Society at Carlton House Terrace. Porter leans against a nineteenth-century wooden library table with both hands on the table edge, his folded spectacles held in the right hand. Behind and to the right as viewed, a wooden door. To the right, a collection of laboratory glassware on two shelves. Porter is dressed in a blue-grey suit with a white shirt and blue tie with a double red stripe.
George Porter was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1960, he served as its President from 1985 to 1990.
George Porter was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1960, he served as its President from 1985 to 1990.
Transcription
J.Mendoza
LORD PORTER, O.M. President 1985-1990 by June Mendoza
LORD PORTER, O.M. President 1985-1990 by June Mendoza
Object history
Commissioned by the Royal Society, 1989-1990.
Correspondence on the commissioning of this work has been retained. June Medoza was considering the work by early September 1989, at which time the Society’s Librarian wrote to her: “I am delighted that you have felt able to consider the Royal Society’s commission to paint a portrait of its President...Sir George, I know, would prefer an informal, relaxed portrait, possibly showing him in a laboratory environment...” [Letter, Sheila Edwards, 7 September 1989, to June Mendoza, Royal Society Provenance file]. Following a meeting with George Porter, Mendoza accepted the commission by 25 September [Letter, Sheila Edwards, 25 September 1989, to June Mendoza, Royal Society Provenance file] and eight sittings (two reserve) were then arranged for the period February-June 1990 [Letter, Sheila Edwards, 22 January 1990, to June Mendoza, and reply from June Mendoza, 27 January 1990, Royal Society Provenance file]. The portrait was with the Society by 30 October 1990 for unveiling at the Anniversary meeting on 30 November. [Letter, Sheila Edwards, 30 October 1990, to June Mendoza, Royal Society Provenance file].
Correspondence on the commissioning of this work has been retained. June Medoza was considering the work by early September 1989, at which time the Society’s Librarian wrote to her: “I am delighted that you have felt able to consider the Royal Society’s commission to paint a portrait of its President...Sir George, I know, would prefer an informal, relaxed portrait, possibly showing him in a laboratory environment...” [Letter, Sheila Edwards, 7 September 1989, to June Mendoza, Royal Society Provenance file]. Following a meeting with George Porter, Mendoza accepted the commission by 25 September [Letter, Sheila Edwards, 25 September 1989, to June Mendoza, Royal Society Provenance file] and eight sittings (two reserve) were then arranged for the period February-June 1990 [Letter, Sheila Edwards, 22 January 1990, to June Mendoza, and reply from June Mendoza, 27 January 1990, Royal Society Provenance file]. The portrait was with the Society by 30 October 1990 for unveiling at the Anniversary meeting on 30 November. [Letter, Sheila Edwards, 30 October 1990, to June Mendoza, Royal Society Provenance file].
Associated place