| Method | Copper engraving |
| Artist | John Hinton after John Vanderbank |
| Published | Engrav'd for ye Universal Magazine, for J. Hinton in Newgate Street [c.1750] |
| Dimensions | Image 175 x 105 mm, Plate 185 x 120 mm, Sheet 205 x 135 mm |
| Notes |
A portrait of the English mathematician Nicholas Saunderson, engraved for the Universal Magazine. The engraving is a reversed copy of the painting by John Vanderbank. Saunderson is shown half length, directed slightly to the left, holding an armillary sphere between his hands. His eyes are closed, and he wears a dark coat, bands, and a long wig. Nicholas Saunderson (1682 – 1739) was a English scientist and mathematician, and may have possibly been the earliest discoverer of Bayes Theorem. When Saunderson was about a year old, he contracted small pox, which caused him to lose not only his sight, but also his eyes. After a youth spent studying classical languages by ear, his prodigious skills were turned towards mathematics, and through the support of William Whiston and Samuel Dunn, he was elevated to the position of professor at Christ's College, Cambridge, and eventually succeeded Whiston as Lucasian Chair of Mathematics. John Hinton (fl.1747-1779) was an English engraver, printer, and publisher, best known as the general editor and publisher of the Universal Magazine and its various supplements. The Universal Magazine of Knowledge and Pleasure was published in London by Hinton, and later William Bent, on a monthly basis between 1747 and 1814. It collected together entries and numerous illustrations on a diverse range of topics, including history, geography, mathematics, philosophy, poetry, gardening, natural history, medicine, and biography. John Vanderbank (1694 - 1739) was a British painter and draughtsman. The son of John Vanderbank a Soho tapestry-weaver, Vanderbank studied under Sir Godfrey Kneller at James Thornhill's art academy in Great Queen Street from 1711 until 1720, when he joined with Louis Chéron to found his own academy in St Martin's Lane. Vanderbank enjoyed a high reputation for a short while during the reign of King George I, but died relatively young due to an extravagant lifestyle. O'Donoghue undescribed Condition: Binders adhesive and holes to right platemark. Minor time toning to edges of sheet. Blank on verso. |
| Framing | unmounted |
| Price | £75.00 |
| Stock ID | 51739 |