Sir Joseph Banks, FRS (1744-1820)
Sir Francis Legatt Chantrey RA (Norton, nr. Sheffield 1781 – London 1841)
Category
Art / Sculpture
Date
1837
Materials
Marble
Measurements
600 x 365 x 300 mm; 720 mm (Circ)
Place of origin
England
Order this imageCollection
Petworth House and Park, West Sussex
NT 486422
Summary
Marble sculpture, Sir Joseph Banks, FRS (1744-1820) by Sir Francis Legatt Chantrey RA (Norton, nr. Sheffield 1781 – London 1841), 1837. A marble naked portrait bust of Sir Joseph Banks, FRS (1744-1820), President of the Royal Society for forty-two years, head turned slightly to the right. Sir Joseph Banks (1743-1820) Botanist. He was born in London and studied at Oxford. In 1766 he made a voyage to Newfoundland collecting plants. He then accompanied James Cook's expedition round the world in the 'Endeavour' (1768-1771). In 1778 he was elected president of the Royal Society, an office he held for 41 years. An important patron of science, he founded the African Association, and the colony of New South Wales owes its origin mainly to him. Through him the bread-fruit was transferred from Tahiti to the West Indies, and the mango was introduced from Bengal, along with many fruits of Ceylon and Persia.
Provenance
?Collected by 3rd Earl of Egremont, thence by descent, until the death in 1952 of the 3rd Lord Leconfield, who had given Petworth to the National Trust in 1947, and whose nephew and heir, John Wyndham, 6th Lord Leconfield and 1st Lord Egremont (1920-72) arranged for the acceptance of the major portion of the collections at Petworth in lieu of death duties (the first ever such arrangement) in 1956 by HM Treasury
Credit line
Petworth House, The Egremont Collection (acquired in lieu of tax by HM Treasury in 1957 and subsequently transferred to the National Trust)
Marks and inscriptions
Sir Joseph Banks Bart. / President of the Royal Society / during forty-two years / in whom the most enterprising / research for the / acquirement of knowledge / in early youth was succeeded / by the most liberal exertions / for its extension and / improvement until his death / at the age of 77 / in the year 1821
Makers and roles
Sir Francis Legatt Chantrey RA (Norton, nr. Sheffield 1781 – London 1841), sculptor