The lost portrait of Robert Hooke?

Area of Science:

• History of Science
• Art History
• Physics

Background:

• The identity of the sitter in the 1680s 'Portrait of a Mathematician' by Mary Beale has been uncertain.
• Robert Hooke (1635-1703) was a prominent English scientist and architect.
• Biographical accounts by Richard Waller and John Aubrey provide physical descriptions of Hooke.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose that the 'Portrait of a Mathematician' is a lifetime portrait of Robert Hooke.
• To analyze iconographic elements within the portrait for evidence linking it to Hooke.
• To explore the potential implications of the portrait's content on historical scientific narratives.

Main Methods:

• Comparative analysis of the portrait's physical depiction with contemporary descriptions of Robert Hooke.
• Examination of symbolic elements within the portrait, including a scientific diagram and landscape.
• Correlation of these elements with Hooke's known scientific work and architectural commissions.

Main Results:

• The portrait closely matches physical descriptions of Robert Hooke by his contemporaries.
• Iconographic elements, including a diagram of elliptical orbits and an armillary sphere, align with Hooke's unpublished 1685 manuscript on gravity.
• The landscape depicts Lowther Castle, for which Hooke provided renovation designs in 1686.
• The portraitist, Mary Beale, had connections to both Hooke and the Lowther family.

Conclusions:

• The 'Portrait of a Mathematician' is a strong candidate for a lifetime portrait of Robert Hooke.
• The portrait visually represents Hooke's significant contributions to the theory of gravity.
• The portrait's content may have influenced its reception by the Royal Society and potentially impacted Isaac Newton's legacy.