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Notes
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The son of a Glasgow merchant, Robison was born at his father's estate at Boghall, Stirlingshire. After attending the University of Glasgow he became tutor to the midshipman son of Admiral Knowles. On Knowles' recommendation he was appointed to the Board of Longitude in 1762, but returned to Glasgow in the following year where he formed lasting friendships with James Watt and Joseph Black. When Black was called to Edinburgh, he succeeded him in Glasgow University as lecturer in chemistry. In 1770 Knowles went to Russia to superintend the improvement of the navy and asked Robison to accompany him. This he did and in 1772 was appointed Inspector-General of the Marine Corps at Kronstadt. Robison's contributions to knowledge include the invention of ball-headed magnets which have been much used in research and a paper entitled 'The Motion of Light as affected by Refracting and Reflecting Substances, which are also in Motion' which is a pioneer investigation leading to the theory of relativity.
The Royal Society of Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Title
John Robison (1739–1805), FRSE
Date
c.1798
Medium
oil on canvas
Measurements
H 124 x W 97.5 cm
Accession number
PCF18
Acquisition method
presented by the sitter's son, Sir John Robison, FRSE, 1828
Work type
Painting
The Royal Society of Edinburgh
22–26 George Street, Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH2 2PQ Scotland
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