Portrait of Sir Bertrand Russell 1872 - 1970, by William Timym MBE. Signed and dated 1968. Artist's macquette.
Sir Bertrand Russell was an English philosopher renowned for his work on mathematical logic. He published Principia Mathematica (1910-13) which gave rise to provocative and revolutionary ideas such as the axiom of infinity and the theory of types. The informal godson of John Stuart Mill and mentor of Ludwig Wittgenstein, Russell studied at Cambridge and later returned as a fellow and lecturer.
In reaction to World War I he became a radical pacifist, incurring government fines, dismissal from Cambridge and finally a 6-month prison sentence. He was actively involved in social reform almost until his death. He believed in the beauty and permanency of mathematics but also stated "Mathematics may be defined as the subject in which we never know what we are talking about, nor whether what we are saying is true." When asked about whether he would be prepared to die for his beliefs he replied "Of course not. After all, I may be wrong."
He won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1950 and his enduring works shaped the face of 20th century British philosophy.
Works by Bertrand Russell include The Problems of Philosophy and The Analysis of Mind.
The artist William Timym MBE 1902-1995, was a friend of Russell. He trained in the high art of the Viennese Art Schools in the 1920s. came to London in the late 30s, worked for the British government on war propaganda posters, had a contract with the BBC for a quarter of a century, producing cartoons for Blue Peter; Bleep and Booster, Bengo the Boxer Pup and others, recently the subject of a media comapny acquisition for updated re-release on TV. His drawings, prints, paintings and bronzes are known and sold around the world. Some famous sculptural works are Guy the Gorilla at London Zoo, Phil the Gorilla at Florida Zoo, Sir Malcolm Seargant's portrait bronze on the sweeping staircase at the Royal Albert Hall, Sir Frances Chichester on Gypsy Moth II and many others. He was asked when receiving his MBE, to create a portrait bronze of Her Majesty the Queen Mother.
