Sir William Herschel
(1738-1822), AstronomerRegency Portraits Catalogue Entry
Sitter in 12 portraits
In 1781 the amateur astronomer Herschel identified Uranus, the first planet to be discovered since Antiquity. He was appointed court astronomer to George III the following year, 1782. Working with his sister Caroline (1750-1848), whom he had trained, he made four complete surveys of the night sky and was the first person correctly to describe the Milky Way. Using his great forty-foot telescope constructed over four years, he found two new satellites of Saturn in 1789. Herschel's discoveries astonished the public and inspired Romantic writers like Blake, Byron and Keats. He discovered more than two thousand nebulae and over eight hundred double stars.
by John Charles Lochée
plaster cast of bust, 1787
NPG 4055
by William Tassie, after Friedrich Rehberg
glass paste medallion, after 1814
NPG 2548
Men of Science Living in 1807-8
by Sir John Gilbert, and Frederick John Skill, and William Walker, and Elizabeth Walker (née Reynolds)
pencil and wash, 1858-1862
NPG 1075
Engraving after 'Men of Science Living in 1807-8'
by George Zobel, and William Walker
engraving, 1862
NPG 1075a
Key to engraving after 'Men of Science Living in 1807-8'
by William Walker
engraving, 1862
NPG 1075b
Sir William Herschel ('Gulielmus Herschel LL.D : RSS')
by Thomas Ryder, published by S. Watts, after Lemuel Francis Abbott
stipple engraving, published 11 February 1788 (1785)
NPG D35724
Sir William Herschel ('Gulielmus Herschel LL.D : RSS')
by Thomas Ryder, published by S. Watts, after Lemuel Francis Abbott
stipple engraving, published 11 February 1788 (1785)
NPG D14425
by Edward Scriven, after John Russell
stipple engraving, early 19th century
NPG D10583
by Edward Scriven, published by Charles Knight, after John Russell
stipple engraving, early 19th century
NPG D35725
by James Godby, published by Colnaghi & Co, published by and after Friedrich Rehberg
stipple engraving, published 1 November 1814 (1814)
NPG D9004
by James Godby, published by Colnaghi & Co, published by and after Friedrich Rehberg
stipple engraving, published 1 November 1814 (1814)
NPG D35726
Related People
- Caroline Emilia Mary (née Herschel), Lady Hamilton-Gordon (granddaughter)
- Maria Sophia Hardcastle (née Herschel) (granddaughter)
- Alexander Stewart Herschel (grandson)
- Caroline Lucretia Herschel (sister)
- Francisca ('Fancy') Herschel (granddaughter)
- Isabella Herschel (granddaughter)
- John Herschel (grandson)
- Sir John Frederick William Herschel, 1st Bt (son)
- Sir William James Herschel, 2nd Bt (grandson)
- Constance Anne (née Herschel), Lady Lubbock (granddaughter)
- Julia Mary Maclear (née Herschel) (granddaughter)
- Margaret Louisa Marshall (née Herschel) (granddaughter)
- Amelia (née Herschel), Lady Wade (granddaughter)
- Matilda Rose Waterfield (née Herschel) (granddaughter)
Comments back to top
We are currently unable to accept new comments, but any past comments are available to read below.
If you need information from us, please use our Archive enquiry service . Please note that we cannot provide valuations. You can buy a print or greeting card of most illustrated portraits. Select the portrait of interest to you, then look out for a Buy a Print button. Prices start at around £6 for unframed prints, £16 for framed prints. If you wish to license an image, select the portrait of interest to you, then look out for a Use this image button, or contact our Rights and Images service. We digitise over 8,000 portraits a year and we cannot guarantee being able to digitise images that are not already scheduled.