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Notes
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The scene depicted here is William Lawrence Bragg (1890–1971) giving the 1961 Christmas Lectures on ‘Electricity’ at the Royal Institution. Bragg is facing the audience, using a glass rod to demonstrate the effect of static electricity generated by the Wimshurst machine, operated by his assistant Bill Coates. The Christmas Lectures are a short series scientific demonstration lectures given by a top scientist to an audience of young people. They were started in 1825 and have been given every year since, apart from the early 1940s. Since 1966 they have been shown on television. This painting was based on the first lecture of the series. You can see Bragg’s wife and grandchildren in the front row and people sometimes spot themselves in the audience.
The Royal Institution
London
Title
Sir Lawrence Bragg Giving the 1961 Christmas Lectures in the Royal Institution Theatre
Date
1962
Medium
oil on canvas
Measurements
H 120 x W 172 cm
Accession number
RIIC 0621
Acquisition method
commissioned, 1961
Work type
Painting
The Royal Institution
21 Albermarle Street, London, Greater London W1S 4BS England
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