Portret van Louis Agassiz Possibly 1879

This engraving of Louis Agassiz was made in 1874 by Charles Henry Jeens, based on a photograph. Agassiz was a Swiss-American biologist and geologist, renowned for his work on ice age theory. Produced in London, this image is not just a portrait; it’s a statement about the institutional power of science and the individuals who shaped its direction in the 19th century. Agassiz’s stern gaze and formal attire speak to the authority he held within the scientific community. But it's important to note that Agassiz's scientific legacy is complicated by his later racism as an apologist for slavery. To fully understand the portrait's cultural meaning, we would need to explore the visual culture of scientific portraiture, and the institutional structures that gave men like Agassiz their authority. These sources provide insight into the social and political context that shaped both the man and his image.