oil painting
- Museum number
- 2012,5012.1
- Description
-
Portrait of Sir Charles Fellows (1799-1860) with model of the Payava tomb
Oil on canvas
- Production date
- 1850
- Dimensions
-
Height: 129 centimetres (canvas)
-
Height: 158 centimetres (incl. frame)
-
Width: 104 centimetres (canvas)
-
Width: 131 millimetres (incl. frame)
- Curator's comments
-
The traveller and archaeologist Sir Charles Fellows is seen here in front of a model of the 4th century BC Payava tomb from Xanthus in Ancient Lycia, his table laden with antiquarian books.
I. Jenkins, 'Archaeologists and Aesthetes in the Sculpture Galleries of the British Museum 1800-1939', (BMP 1992), fig.58
-
From 1832 Fellows spent much of his time in Italy, Greece and the Levant. He went to Asia Minor in 1838, and during his explorations discovered the ruins of ancient cities, including those of Xanthus, the ancient Lycian capital. He made a number of expeditions from which he sent back antiquities to the Museum including remains of the Nereid Monument and the Harpy Tomb. He published widely and was a patron of the artist George Scharf.
His ODNB entry notes that “He was unquestionably ahead of his time in museum practice, and was actuated in removing the monuments by a genuine desire for their conservation, albeit one tinged with satisfaction that the British Museum’s collection was unrivalled in Europe in this sphere.”
- Location
- Not on display
- Acquisition date
- 1988
- Department
- Greek and Roman
- Registration number
- 2012,5012.1
