Contains: 5 images
In copyright
It is possible this item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You may be able to use this digital item under a copyright exception, otherwise you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s). These may be identified elsewhere in the catalogue record. Read more about copyright.
Read further guidance on copyright exceptions in the UK.
Credit
National Geographic Society Portrait. In copyright. Source: Wellcome Collection.
National Geographic Society portrait (colour, 21mm x 14mm) by Jean Leon Huens, showing Crick and James Watson with a double helix image.
The file also contains a letter (13 August, 1974) to Crick from Andrew Poggenpohl (National Geographic Magazine) informing Crick of the magazine's intention to "publish a brief portfolio of six paintings of eminent biologists".
In Crick's reply (19 August, 1974), he suggests that the painting might provide an opportunity to correct a popular misconception of the length of the DNA molecule: "The photograph that you sent me displays about two turns of the double helix. However, even the smallest DNA molecule is very much longer than that and the DNA molecules in higher organisms can be extremely long, some being over a million turns or more in length. It might be sensible therefore if the model is to appear in a painting, if the artist were instructed to make it appear endless in the sense that the beginning and the end of the model should be outside the frame of the painting. The majority of the population of the world, including Salvador Dali, is under the impression that DNA consists of about a turn and a half and I think that Geographic might do something to correct this misapprehension."
| Location | Status | Access | |
|---|---|---|---|
Closed stores |