Patrick Russell MD

Patrick Russell (1726 - 1805) was a Scottish surgeon and naturalist who worked in India. He studied the snakes of India and is considered the 'Father of Indian Ophiology'. The Russell's viper, Daboia russelii, is named after him. In 1785 Russell had been appointed by the Governor of Madras, Botanist or Naturalist to the East-India Company. He wrote works on Indian plants and fish as well as snakes. Dance was an architect, draughtsman and founder member of the Royal Academy. This portrait comes from a series of chalk portraits that he did of his friends, 72 of which were engraved and published (1808-1814) by Daniell who was an engraver as well as a reknown landscape painter. Accompanied by original descriptive text.