Joseph Priestley / Angus
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Joseph Priestley / Angus
JOSEPH PRIESTLEY English chemist and clergyman, best known for his experiments with electricity and oxygen Date: 1733 - 1804
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Media ID 14267528
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1733 1804 Angus Best Chemist Clergyman Curly Electricity Experiments Oval Oxygen Priestley
EDITORS COMMENTS
This portrait captures the intellectual curiosity and innovative spirit of Joseph Priestley (1733-1804), a renowned English chemist and clergyman. Born in the small village of Fieldhead in Yorkshire, Priestley's insatiable thirst for knowledge led him to make groundbreaking discoveries in the fields of electricity and chemistry. Priestley's pioneering experiments with electricity began in the late 1760s, and he is credited with discovering the effects of electric currents on various gases, including the production of water through the electrolysis of water. However, it was his work on oxygen that would truly revolutionize the scientific community. In 1772, Priestley discovered that burning a candle in a glass jar filled with the gas he had produced from rotting apples created a reaction that kept the flame alight, leading him to identify the gas as a new element. He named it "dephlogisticated air," which we now know as oxygen. Despite his significant scientific achievements, Priestley's religious beliefs were a source of controversy. As a Unitarian clergyman, he challenged the established Church of England's doctrines, which led to his expulsion from his parish in 1780. He spent the remainder of his life in exile in Pennsylvania, where he continued his scientific research and wrote extensively on a variety of subjects. This striking image of Priestley, with his curly wig and oval face, offers a glimpse into the mind of a man who defied convention and pushed the boundaries of knowledge in both science and religion. His legacy continues to inspire generations of thinkers and innovators, and his contributions to the fields of chemistry and electricity remain a testament to the power of curiosity and the human spirit.
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