Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- [18th Century] (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
1 item, Oil on canvas
Context area
Name of creator
Repository
Archival history
After Busby
Extract from The Elizabethan (1966):
"Despite the number of portraits of him in the possession of the School, none is original: they are all taken from an engraving of a lost drawing by Henry Tilson, who committed suicide soon after drawing Busby's corpse. Much of Busby's reputation for severity seems to have permeated his even these copies, for the small head which hangs in Busby's and the half-length portrait in No. 17 show him with almost unbelievably harsh and unsympathetic features, surmounted inevitably by the scull-cap, which certainly does nothing to alleviate the impression of total austerity. In the large version, however, a moderately distinguished painting illustrated in Sargeaunt's "Annals of Westminster School", the artist seems to have felt less animosity towards him, and the famous Head Master looks down almost leniently from his frame. Only two busts of Busby are prominently displayed in the school; and these, a copy by Lee in the Busby Library and a plaster cast in the Art Room, naturally enough give a somewhat hard impression of him."
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Three-quarter length portrait of Busby standing, wearing academic robes and a scull cap; his body and head are inclined to the left of the painting; to the bottom-left is a table covered with a cloth, upon which is an open book; Busby has almost turned a page with his right hand.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Access to collection items is granted to bona-fide researchers, by prior appointment, subject to the overriding provisions of relevant legislation, including Data Protection.
Conditions governing reproduction
A reprographics service is available to researchers subject to the access restrictions outlined above. Copying will not be undertaken if there is any risk of damage to the item. Copies are supplied in accordance with Westminster School
Language of material
Script of material
Language and script notes
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
50" x 40"
Finding aids
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
Alternative identifier(s)
Access points
Subject access points
Place access points
Name access points
- Busby, Richard, 1606-1695 (Subject)
Description control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
Status
Level of detail
Language(s)
- English
Script(s)
- Latin