Charles Robert Darwin

Charles Robert Darwin

copy by John Collier
oil on canvas, 1883 (1881)
49 1/2 in. x 38 in. (1257 mm x 965 mm)
Given by the sitter's son, William Erasmus Darwin, 1896
Primary Collection
NPG 1024

Sitter

Charles Robert Darwin (1809-1882), Naturalist, geologist and originator of the theory of evolution. Sitter in 29 portraits.

Artist

John Collier (1850-1934), Portrait painter and writer on art. Artist associated with 20 portraits, Sitter in 7 portraits.

This Portrait

This portrait of Charles Darwin, the great scientist and author of On the Origin of Species, is a copy by the artist of a portrait undertaken by John Collier for the Linnaean Society. Collier was himself the son-in-law of another prominent late Victorian scientist, Thomas Henry Huxley. The portrait was presented to the Gallery by Darwin's eldest son, William Erasmus Darwin, who wrote to Lionel Cust in 1896: 'The picture is a replica of the one in the rooms in the Linnaean Society and was made by Collier after the original. I took some trouble about it and as a likeness it is an improvement on the original.' It shows Darwin as an old man in the year before his death. According to Darwin's third son, Francis, 'The portrait represents him standing facing the observer in the loose cloak so familiar to those who knew him and with his slouch hat in his hand. Many of those who knew his face most intimately, think that Mr Collier's picture is the best of the portraits and in this judgement the sitter himself was inclined to agree.'

Related Works

NPG D9709: Charles Robert Darwin (source portrait)

Linked Publications

Sound Guide
Victorian Portraits Resource Pack, p. 21
The National Portrait Gallery, 1997, p. 145
Cooper, John, Great Britons: The Great Debate, 2002, p. 121
Cooper, John, Visitor's Guide, 2000, p. 80
Cooper, John, A Guide to the National Portrait Gallery, 2009, p. 43
Funnell, Peter, Victorian Portraits in the National Portrait Gallery collection, 1996, p. 21
Hackmann, W.D., Apples and Atoms: Portraits of Scientists from Newton to Rutherford, 1986, p. 55
Hart-Davis, Adam, Chain Reactions, 2000, p. 123
Parris, Matthew, Heroes and Villains: Scarfe at the National Portrait Gallery, 2003 (accompanying the exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery from 30 September 2003 - 4 April 2004), p. 59
Saumarez Smith, Charles, The National Portrait Gallery: an illustrated guide, 2000, p. 145
Saumarez Smith, Charles, The National Portrait Gallery, 1997, p. 145
Saywell, David; Simon, Jacob, Complete Illustrated Catalogue, 2004, p. 165

Subjects & Themes

Scientific discovery tour
Victorian tour