Celebrating Francis Crick's centenary: new portrait revealed

Portrait of Dr Francis Crick by Robert Ballagh.

Portrait of Dr Francis Crick by Robert Ballagh.

- Paul Ratigan

It is Francis Crick's centenary today (8 June 2016), and the Francis Crick Institute has revealed a new portrait of Francis Crick to coincide with his 100th birthday.

 

The picture, by Irish artist Robert Ballagh, was commissioned by James Watson, with whom Crick famously discovered the structure of DNA, to hang in the Crick's iconic new building when it opens later this year.

Crick and Watson's work led to the identification of the structure of DNA in 1953, drawing on the work of Maurice Wilkins, Rosalind Franklin and others. Their discovery is considered one of the most significant in modern science and has transformed our understanding of human life and biology. 

The painting shows Crick standing in front of a blackboard bearing the words 'DNA - RNA - protein', the revelation of how DNA codes for life. In front of him are two key papers, rendered in such detail that viewers will be able to read them: his Nobel acceptance speech, and a scientific paper he wrote on unravelling the genetic code.

Irish painter Robert Ballagh, who had previously painted Watson himself, said: 'Among the many fascinating characters that I have painted I am privileged to be able to add two great men of science, James Watson and Francis Crick, to a list that boasts many great literary figures like Oscar Wilde, James Joyce and Harold Pinter.

'Jim's personal knowledge of Francis Crick was invaluable to me in creating the painting. He was of the firm opinion that Crick should be portrayed in his forties, when, Jim said, he was at the height of his powers. He also suggested that I should consider placing Crick at a lectern in order to represent his immense skills in scientific communication'.

James Watson said: 'Bobby Ballagh's forceful painting of Francis Crick humanly conveys the intelligent, never waffling personality that so positively dominated the molecular biology of the 1950s and 1960s when the double helical structure of DNA was elucidated and the genetic code put together.'

Sir Paul Nurse, Director of the Francis Crick Institute, said: 'Our institute is named after Francis Crick not only because he is one of the giants of 20th-century science, but because his personal characteristics reflect our vision. Crick was noted for his openness to new ideas and his collaborations with scientists in other fields of expertise - some of the founding principles for our institute. In that spirit, we hope to provide some of the great biological revelations of the 21st century, and ultimately to improve human health.

'We are grateful to Jim Watson for providing this portrait, and to Robert Ballagh for realising Jim's vision so wonderfully.'

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