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'Elias Ashmole', c.1681
by J. Riley
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In 1683 Elias Ashmole founded the Ashmolean Museum, the earliest public museum in
England. He gave, his own collection of coins and furniture together with the rarities
collected by the Tradescants to the University, on condition that a building was
constructed to display them.
These rarities had been collected during the Tradescants plant hunting travels for
the royal palaces. He catalogued this Tradescant Collection, which will be displayed
again when the new Antiquities Galleries open in 2009.
Ashmole may have commissioned this grand and imposing portrait to mark the occasion
of the opening ceremony of the Museum on 21 May 1683 by the future King James II.
The first Ashmolean Museum was in Broad Street, now The Museum of the History of
Science.
Ashmole stands in a proud pose, dressed in elegant clothes of velvet, lace and silk.
His wig and lace cravat are typical of the time. He leans on a copy of the book
he wrote about the Order of the Garter and some of his beloved medals and chains
are also shown. He wears one of the many chains that were given to him by members
of the Order.
His stance and the objects with which he is portrayed all serve to show Ashmole
as an accomplished, proud and successful gentleman. Ashmole was a lawyer and scientist,
studying alchemy and astrology and was a founder member of the Royal Society.
John Riley, the artist, was a prolific portrait painter who later became one of
the principal court painters to William and Mary. The elaborately carved lime-wood
frame by Grinling Gibbons, incorporates some of the new species of vegetables, fruits
and flowers, which John Tradescant and his son both royal gardeners, bought back
from their travels abroad.
Ashmole’s crest which includes Mercury, marks his interest in alchemy and
can be seen at the top of the painting,
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© Ashmolean Museum, Oxford.
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