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Description: | Profile bust portrait of James Ferguson (1710-1776), astronomer. He has a receding hairline, and is clean shaven, wearing a brown jacket (dressing gown or smoking jacket?) Oval, in Scottish National Portraits (1884) Edinburgh No. 463. There is a reference to a work by Allan Ramsay, in the possession of David Munn. This painting is perhaps a copy (?)
"James Ferguson was what is known as self-taught or, as he liked to say, 'taught by God'. He had negligible formal schooling but did receive informal instruction from some of the local educated men. Based in London for much of his professional life and although he didn't push forward the boundaries of astronomy in the 18th century he did push many people into taking a real interest in astronomy. He was well known to all the practitioners of the time in Britain, Fellow of the Royal Society, author of astronomical textbooks (The Young Gentleman and Lady's Astronomy, Astronomy Explained and an article on 'Astronomy' in the first edition of the Encylcopaedia Britannica), designer of astronomical clocks that have never really been surpassed and a public lecturer whose reputation earned him a comfortable living and a pension from the King."
Author: Reid,John.S Date: 2003 Purpose: scholarly.comment
"James Ferguson FRS (1710-1776), born at Rothiemay, Banffshire and based in London for most of his working life. Although he had very little formal schooling he became a well-known and respected author and public lecturer on astronomy, as well as a designer of astronomical clocks. This is not a formal image. The sitter wears no wig and is seen relaxing in a dressing gown. Scholars and artists were often represented in this guise as 'the natural man' at home."
Author: Morrison,John Date: 2002 Purpose: HA3541 | License: | http://www.abdn.ac.uk/historic/Copyright_terms_conditions.shtml | Publisher: | ABDUA University of Aberdeen, Marischal Museum | Rights holder: | 47718 | Source: | University of Aberdeen | Identifier: | http://calms.abdn.ac.uk/Geology/dserve.e... | Go to resource |
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Ferguson
Print, Ferguson, [James Ferguson (1710-1776)]…
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