Bertrand Russell

Sitterback to top

• Bertrand Arthur William Russell, 3rd Earl Russell (1872-1970), Philosopher, mathematician and social reformer. Sitter in 119 portraits.

Artistback to top

• Ida Kar (1908-1974), Photographer. Artist or producer associated with 1567 portraits, Sitter in 137 portraits.

This portraitback to top

Kar photographed Russell, as he jotted in his notebooks, in the studio of the sculptor Jacob Epstein, where he was sitting for his portrait bust.

Linked publicationsback to top

• Faces of the Century, 1999 (accompanying the exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery from 22 October 1999 to 30 January 2000), p. 107
• Freestone, Clare (appreciation) Wright, Karen (appreciation), Ida Kar Bohemian Photographer, 2011 (accompanying the exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery from 10 March to 19 June 2011), p. 61 Read entry

  Russell's contributions to logic, epistemology and mathematics established him as one of the foremost philosophers of the twentieth century. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1950 in recognition of his liberal and humanitarian writings. Russell, who was closely associated with the Bloomsbury group, consolidated his reputation as a philosopher with the Principia Mathematica (1910-13). A committed pacifist, in 1958 Russell became the first president of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) and in 1960 went on to form the more militant Committee of 100, advocating non-violent civil disobedience to achieve their aims. Kar became a member of the Committee of 100 and photographed a sit-down demonstration in Whitehall protesting against the agreement to purchase Polaris nuclear submarines from the USA. In 1953 Kar used a photograph of Russell and Epstein for her Christmas card.

• Rogers, Malcolm, Camera Portraits, 1989 (accompanying the exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery from 20 October 1989 - 21 January 1990), p. 267 Read entry

  Both as philosopher and social reformer Russell was indisputably one of this century's major intellects. He was closely associated with the Bloomsbury Group, and early on established his reputation as a philosopher with the Principia Mathematica (1910-13). As a writer and lecturer he was an ardent pacifist, and the first president of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (1958), which he split in 1960, to form the more militant Committee of 100, dedicated to civil disobedience in pursuit of its ends. He lived for nearly a hundred years, retaining his mental vigour to the end. His high-pitched voice, precise and pedantic delivery and whinnying laugh were much parodied. He won the Nobel Prize for literature in 1950.

  Born in Armenia, educated in Egypt and Paris, Ida Kar had her first studio in Cairo in the war years, and there experimented with Surrealism. In 1944 she married Victor Musgrave, director of the avant-garde Gallery One, and came to London, where she worked as a portrait photographer, contributing to numerous newspapers and magazines, including The Sunday Times, The Tatler, and Vogue. Her photographs, all taken by natural light, are marked by what Colin Maclnnes described as her 'gift … to woo and win intimacy without any loss of courteous deference. … an Ida Kar portrait is at once identifiable by its purity and distinction'. She photographed Russell, as he made notes in his diary, in the studio of the sculptor Epstein, where he was sitting for his bust. In the background is the plaster of what is probably the sculptor's bust of the actor Terence O'Regan, also dating from 1953.

Placesback to top

• Place made and portrayed: Unknown Place (Studio of Jacob Epstein)

Linked displays and exhibitionsback to top

• Ida Kar: Bohemian Photographer (10 March 2011 - 19 June 2011)

Portrait setback to top

• Photographs by Ida Kar, 1940s-1950s

Subjects & Themesback to top

• Art in art
• Eyeglasses and spectacles
• Shadows
• Smoking
• Writing

Events of 1953back to top

Current affairs

Art and science

International

Comments back to top