Bertrand Russell
- Artist: Roger Fry
- Date: circa 1923
- Medium: oil on canvas
- Dimensions: 21 1/4 in. x 17 3/4 in. (540 mm x 451 mm)
- Portrays: Bertrand Arthur William Russell, 3rd Earl Russell
- Museum: The National Portrait Gallery
- Collection record: The National Portrait Gallery website
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About this artwork
In this oil on canvas portrait by Roger Fry we see the late‑1920s depiction of Bertrand Russell. The painter’s palette is gentle – muted greens and browns frame his face in quiet light. His profile appears simple but clear; brushwork stays thin yet deliberate, giving the eyes calm focus. Fry’s friendship with Russell since Cambridge shows in this intimate likeness: he sits straight, looking ahead. The canvas measures 21¼×17¾ inches – a modestly sized portrait that invites close observation. Painted around 1923 and acquired by the gallery in 1970, it now rests in the National Portrait Gallery’s primary collection.
See it in person
Bertrand Russell is in the collection of The National Portrait Gallery at St Martin's Place, London — free to enter. Point your phone at any artwork there and audioguide.london plays a free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
