Professor Huxley', 1890

Professor Huxley', 1890. A photographic portrait of Professor Thomas Henry Huxley (1825-1895), taken by W. and D. Downey in 1890. Huxley stands, as if about to address an audience. Through his 'organic evolution' lectures, Huxley championed Charles Darwin's controversial theories. He liked to refer to himself as 'Darwin's bulldog'. Whilst working as a surgeon on board HMS Rattlesnake in Australasia, Huxley spent his spare time studying marine life. His research on jellyfish brought him recognition by the Royal Society of London. Once in Britain, he became Professor of Natural History at the Government School of Mines in 1855, and was a recognised authority on fossils. This photograph appears in 'The Cabinet Portrait Gallery' series of celebrity portraits and biographies published in the 1890s. The series includes royalty, actors, academics and authors. ©SSPL/NMeM/Kodak Collection