The Distinguished Men of Science of Great Britain Living in the Years 1807–8

• 1862
• Engraved by Walker and Echel. Published by W. Walker & Son, 64 Margaret Street, Cavendish
  Made in London
• Image: 16 x 41.5 in.
  Engraving on wove paper
• Not on display
• Gift of Fisher Scientific International
• Fisher Collection
• FA 2000.001.225
• No known copyright restrictions

Description

A group portrait of 52 leading British scientists in the early 19th century assembled in a large library of the Royal Institution. Among those present are Henry Cavendish (1731–1810), discoverer of hydrogen and the decomposition of water; John Dalton (1766–1844), discoverer of atomic theory; Humphry Davy (1778–1844), discoverer of sodium, potassium, barium, and magnesium; William Herschel (1738–1822), discoverer of Uranus; Edward Jenner (1749–1823), creator of the smallpox vaccination; Count Rumford (1753–1814), the American science teacher named Benjamin Thompson, who founded the Royal Institution; and James Watt (1738–1819), inventor of the steam engine.