Bertrand Russell

[watercolor, on a 16x20 inch Arches hot press art board. ~30 hours.]

I don't generally care for realistic portraits, given that cameras can do better than I ever could, but I decided to give one a shot for practice sake. I chose Bertrand Russell (1872-1970) as my subject for a few reasons. First, the photos of him are all B&W, small, and largely grainy; and so painting him would actually give me something a camera cannot. Second, because he is such a great inspiration to me. And thirdly, though relatedly, because I would be happy to hang it in my own home.

He is perhaps best known as a philosopher who did ground-breaking work in logic, language, and mathematics (that is certainly where he influences me the most). But he wrote much more than that, delving into almost all areas of philosophy, excepting aesthetics. In fact, it was for his social and political thoughts for which he was awarded the Nobel Prize (1950), "in recognition of his varied and significant writings in which he champions humanitarian ideals and freedom of thought."

I mostly study his dry work (logic/language/math), but I respect the him for being a reflective, considerate, and progressive human being. He challenged us to confront fear and doubt, to only believe what we have good reason to believe, to look for injustice and not to hold our tongue when we found it, and to live life in the world as it is--rather than in the imaginary world of mass delusion--and to make it better for the lives of all people.

I'd have liked to have known him.


To leave off, here is a good list of web-accessible writings,
[link]

biographies,
[link]
[link]

as well as some quotes,

"Three passions, simple but overwhelmingly strong, have governed my life: the longing for love, the search for knowledge, and unbearable pity for the suffering of mankind. These passions, like great winds, have blown me hither and thither, in a wayward course, over a deep ocean of anguish, reaching to the very verge of despair. … This has been my life. I have found it worth living, and would gladly live it again if the chance were offered me."

"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts."

"Conventional people are roused to fury by departure from convention, largely because they regard such departure as a criticism of themselves."

"If a man is offered a fact which goes against his instincts, he will scrutinize it closely, and unless the evidence is overwhelming, he will refuse to believe it. If, on the other hand, he is offered something which affords a reason for acting in accordance to his instincts, he will accept it even on the slightest evidence. The origin of myths is explained in this way."

"Advocates of capitalism are very apt to appeal to the sacred principles of liberty, which are embodied in one maxim: The fortunate must not be restrained in the exercise of tyranny over the unfortunate."

"The infliction of cruelty with a good conscience is a delight to moralists. That is why they invented Hell."

"Collective fear stimulates herd instinct, and tends to produce ferocity toward those who are not regarded as members of the herd."

"Patriots always talk of dying for their country but never of killing for their country."

"A bad teacher will aim at imposing his opinion, and turning out a set of pupils all of whom will give the same definite answer on a doubtful point." [context: this is a criticism of the like feature common in governments]