Portraits of Astronomers

International Year of Astronomy 2009 logoPress Release

March 2009

Portraits of Astronomers
21 March – 12 July 2009
Room 38 a
Admission Free

A newly-commissioned painted portrait of the Astronomer Royal, Martin Rees, Baron Rees, President of the Royal Society, will form the focus of a display to celebrate the International Year of Astronomy. This new portrait will be shown alongside recent photographs of astronomers by Lucinda Douglas-Menzies, and further portraits from the National Portrait Gallery’s Collection.

Lord Rees is currently Professor of Cosmology and Astrophysics, University of Cambridge and President of the Royal Society. Interested in both the scientific and philosophical aspects of cosmology, Lord Rees’s research interests are in ‘extreme’ cosmic phenomena, black holes, cosmic structure formation and ‘dark matter’. His portrait has been painted by artist Benjamin Sullivan who is a regular exhibitor in the BP Portrait Award. Sullivan wished to show Rees primarily as an educator and communicator who has reached a general audience through publications and lectures.

The display will include a group of recently-acquired photographs of UK astronomers by acclaimed photographer Lucinda Douglas- Menzies. Her black and white portraits range from scientists involved with early discoveries in radio astronomy right up to those engaged in the latest developments in astrophysics and cosmology. These portraits include Sir Arnold Wolfendale, Len Culhane, Dame Carole Jordan, Roger Penrose and John Peacock. Her book Portraits of Astronomers (published March 2009, in association with the Science Museum) includes thirty-eight portraits, biographies and notes of inspiration, of which the ten to be shown in the display are a selection.

Further portraits of astronomers from the Collection at the National Portrait Gallery will also be on display, including Sir Patrick Moore by Carolyn Djanogly, Sir Bernard Lovell by Ed Barber, Jocelyn Bell Burnell by Julia Hedgecoe, and Stephen Hawking by David Gamble.

Notes for Editors

  • The International Year of Astronomy is a global celebration of astronomy and its contributions to society and culture. Coinciding with the 400th anniversary of Galileo’s first glimpses through a telescope and the birth of modern astronomy, it gives people the chance to get involved in this fascinating science and experience the wonders of the night sky. For further information on the International Year of Astronomy please visit www.astronomy2009.org
  • Lucinda Douglas-Menzies’s photographs will also be exhibited at the Cambridge Science Festival, the Edinburgh Science Festival, the Open University (Milton Keynes), The Royal Society, the Ogden Centre, Durham University and Armagh County Museum.
  • Her book Portraits of Astronomers is available from the National Portrait Gallery bookshop, priced £12.50. For exhibition dates and further information please visit www.douglas-menzies.com

For further press information and image requests please contact: Eleanor Macnair, Press Office, National Portrait Gallery Tel: 020 7321 6620 (not for publication) Email: emacnair@npg.org.uk; To download images: www.npg.org.uk/press

National Portrait Gallery, St Martin’s Place, London, WC2H 0HE. Opening hours Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday, Sunday: 10am – 6pm (Gallery closure commences at 5.50pm) Late Opening: Thursday, Friday: 10am – 9pm (Gallery closure commences at 8.50pm) Nearest Underground: Leicester Square/Charing Cross Recorded information: 020 7312 2463 General information: 020 7306 0055 Website: www.npg.org.uk