Sr ISAAC NEWTON

Description:

In 1702, living in London and serving as Master of the Mint, Isaac Newton sat for Godfrey Kneller, the most famous and probably the most expensive portrait painter in London. For this portrait he wore a red banyan and a flowing wig.

This is one of many engraved copies of that image. The text at the bottom reads “Sr ISAAC NEWTON” and “G. Kneller pinxt” and “Wm. Sharp sculpt” and “G. Kearsley, No 46 Fleet Street.” Newton here looks to his left (rather than to his right as in the Kneller portrait). A laurel branch appears at one side and an oil lamp at the other. Below are figures of a globe, a large lens, a refracting telescope, books, papers, geometrical diagrams, and a woman who probably represents Urania, the muse of astronomy.

William Sharp (1749-1824) was an engraver in London. George Kearsley (fl. 1758-1791) was a publisher of books and prints. He was also responsible for The Copper Plate Magazine, “a monthly treasure for admirers of the imitative arts.” Our engraving appeared in the 1778 edition of that work.

Ref: Patricia Fara, Newton. The Making of Genius (New York, 2003).

Milo Keynes, ed., The Iconography of Sir Isaac Newton to 1800 (Woodbridge, 2005), p. 56.

Date Made: 1778

Location: Currently not on view

Place Made: United Kingdom: England, London

See more items in: Medicine and Science: Physical Sciences, Science & Mathematics, Prints from the Physical Sciences Collection

Exhibition:

Exhibition Location:

Data Source: National Museum of American History

Id Number: 1987.0076.01Catalog Number: 1987.0076.01Accession Number: 1987.0076

Object Name: print

Physical Description: paper (overall material)Measurements: overall: 8 1/4 in x 6 3/4 in; 20.955 cm x 17.145 cm

Guid: http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746b3-1c33-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa

Record Id: nmah_1452104

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