original 19th century
unframed but with gilt slip, oil on canvas
painted lettering reads:
Sir Joseph Banks, President of the Royal Society 1778-1820
purporting to be of Banks (1743-1820) the famous English naturalist, botanist
and patron of natural sciences, but more likely to be
William H Spottiswoode (1825-1883), president of the society from 1878 until his death
measures
MH