EPSTEIN
page 2 / 2047 . OCR, unverified
appropriate household god for an academic
community."
In sum, says Christianson, this is "the first and
most appealing of the many likenesses we have of
Newton, executed when the subject was at the height
of his powers and poised on the threshold of
international fame. The silver hair is thick and
flowing, the myopic eyes somewhat protuberant but
piercing, the angular chin deeply cleft, the mouth
sensuous and delicately formed. The long thin
fingers of the right hand, which extend from
beneath an academic gown, are suggestive of a
virtuoso of quite another kind, a performer of
music rather than a revolutionary choreographer of
matter's deterministic dance. In sum, Kneller's
midlife portrait is a foreshadowing of that famous
Jovian look borne by the aged Newton, who shared
with Einstein THE ASPECT OF ONE PRESENT AT THE
CREATION."
There are two original variations of the 1689
Kneller "Portsmouth" portrait type that are known
to exist, listed below. Each example is unique and
are entirely by the hand of Kneller. Neither
version utilizes the work of his studio.
1.The Portsmouth portrait, permanently housed in
the collection of Lord Portsmouth, is smaller
(30 x 35 inches) and is signed and dated 1689,
and is housed in a later frame. It was
considered a family portrait, as Newton kept it
for the rest of his life, and upon his death,
it passed to Catherine (Barton) Conduitt, his
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favorite niece. She left it to her daughter
Catherine, and it went into the Portsmouth
collection when Catherine married the Hon. John
Wallop, Viscount Lymington in 1749. It has
remained as part of this collection since that
time. This is now know as Portsmouth version A.
The Portsmouth portrait is somber and dark in
mood, and shows the early Dutch influence on
Kneller, who was part of the Dutch tradition in
which he studied before coming to England.
The words "ISAACUS NEWTONUS" in bold letting on
the bottom left side of the painting was added
sometime in the 18th century by someone
unknown. This painting cannot be sold.
2.0ur portrait, now known as Portsmouth version
B, is also entirely by Kneller. Version B was
directly compared side-by-side with Version A,
and according to Kneller experts, is a newly
discovered, and thus historically important
original portrait of Newton, utilizing the same
motif as the Portmouth version, but
incorporating a different, and less somber mood
through his different use of color, shading,
and light, as well as head position. It is
difficult to determine when version B was
painted, but it would have been done within a
few years of the 1689 Portsmouth version A, and
prior to 1702. It was Kneller's later use of
color, light, and shading, which contributed to
his renowned reputation as the leading English
portrait artist of the late 17th and early 18th
century. Portsmouth version A is an early
example of his work in color, light, and
shading.
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Writing in 1867, Crompton says that this
painting [Portsmouth version B] was mentioned
"in an old catalogue of pictures" at Serlby
Hall, was acquired by John Monckton, 1St
Viscount Galway, in 1725. The first Viscount is
known to have collected pictures, and his
papers are preserved in the University of
Nottingham; however the "old catalogue" that
Crompton saw has not been found. Crompton wrote
of this painting, "the only portrait of Newton
worthy of notice."
3.There is also a later, and "poorly executed"
studio copy of the above in the collection at
The Vyne, Basingstoke, Hampshire, belonging to
the National Trust. This is a copy of
Portsmouth version A, and is not in the hand of
Kneller. This copy belongs to the National
Trust, and can never be sold.
Kneller would subsequently paint two other
portraits of Newton. The one done in 1702, probably
to commemorate his appointment to the Mastership of
the Mint, is also in the Portsmouth collection.
This second portrait is more formal in manner.
Sir Geoffrey Kneller was the greatest master of the
English baroque portrait. As Court painter to four
sovereigns, he dominated English
art for more than thirty years.
There has not been a contemporary portrait of
Newton offered in the market for over 30 years.
Unless, there is a new discovery of an unknown
work, this painting will be the only one that will
ever be available as the other two versions are in
public trust collections. This is an historical
association of the highest significance as Newton
directly had this painting commissioned by Kneller
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and it was no doubt given to a person or society of
only the greatest rank.
See the extensive article on this portrait in
Patricia Fara, "Perceptions of Science: Face
Values: How Portraits Win Friends and Influence
People, Essays on Science and Society, Science, 7
February, 2003
For a hyperlink to this article:
http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/ful1/299/5608