7 OF 11

Conference of Engineers at the Menai Straits Preparatory to Floating one of the Tubes of the Britannia Bridge

7 of 11 portraits of Robert Stephenson

by James Scott, after John Lucas
mezzotint, published 1868
Reference Collection
NPG D10713

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Artistsback to top

John Lucas (1807-1874), Portrait painter. Artist associated with 32 portraits, Sitter in 1 portrait.
James Scott (circa 1809-circa 1889), Engraver. Artist associated with 132 portraits, Sitter in 1 portrait.

Sittersback to top

George Parker Bidder (1806-1878), Engineer. Sitter in 5 portraits.
Isambard Kingdom Brunel (1806-1859), Civil engineer. Sitter in 12 portraits.
Edwin Clark (1814-1894), Engineer. Sitter in 1 portrait.
Latimer Clark (1822-1898), Engineer. Sitter in 1 portrait.
Frank Forster (1800-1852), Civil engineer. Sitter in 1 portrait.
Joseph Locke (1805-1860), Civil engineer. Sitter in 2 portraits.
Robert Stephenson (1803-1859), Civil engineer; son of George Stephenson. Sitter in 11 portraits.

This portraitback to top

An engraving after John Lucas' group portrait commissioned by the Institute of Civil Engineers, circa 1851-1853, to commemorate the building of the Britannia Bridge across the Menai Straits. The bridge, which formed a link from Chester to Holyhead and thus the Irish crossing, was one of the greatest achievements of Robert Stephenson, shown seated in the centre of the composition. In order to cover the span of the Straits, Stephenson devised a construction of massive wrought iron tubes, supported on mansonry piers.