Victoria Crowe’s portrait of former Principal and Vice-Chancellor Dr. Brian Lang completed in 2008 serves as a tribute to the life-long academic whom, during his time as principal, expanded and led the University into the twenty-first century. In a portrait style distinctive from the rest of the University’s portrait collection, Crowe adheres to her professed commitment in portraiture to represent, “a balance between the personality of the sitter, a sense of what they are, revealed through work and conversation, and the objective reality of ‘what they look like’…”
Lang is depicted in a medium sized – in comparison to other portraits in the Universities Collection – 50 by 40-inch portrait casually sat leaning backward with his legs crossed …show more content…
Books take up most the sections on the right which refer to both the University’s collection with the words ‘Scotland’s Books’ quite literally stated, and also to Lang’s role as the Chief Executive of the British Library from 1991 to 2000 before he took on the position of Principal. The nautilus shell featured in the upper right could symbolize the Museum of the University of St. Andrews which features the cross section of a nautilus in its collection. On the left of Lang is a darkened outline of St. Salvator’s Chapel, the most iconic and historic building of the University where the first of the University colleges was founded. Physically laid on top of the outline of St. Salvator’s are the blueprints of the School of Medicine building which Lang oversaw the construction of during his tenure as Principal. By overlaying the blueprints of the School of Medicine over the outline of St. Salvator’s Crowe is quite literally showing how the expansion of modern medical education at the University is built upon, and would not be possible without, the foundation of six centuries of higher education and
Lang is depicted in a medium sized – in comparison to other portraits in the Universities Collection – 50 by 40-inch portrait casually sat leaning backward with his legs crossed …show more content…
Books take up most the sections on the right which refer to both the University’s collection with the words ‘Scotland’s Books’ quite literally stated, and also to Lang’s role as the Chief Executive of the British Library from 1991 to 2000 before he took on the position of Principal. The nautilus shell featured in the upper right could symbolize the Museum of the University of St. Andrews which features the cross section of a nautilus in its collection. On the left of Lang is a darkened outline of St. Salvator’s Chapel, the most iconic and historic building of the University where the first of the University colleges was founded. Physically laid on top of the outline of St. Salvator’s are the blueprints of the School of Medicine building which Lang oversaw the construction of during his tenure as Principal. By overlaying the blueprints of the School of Medicine over the outline of St. Salvator’s Crowe is quite literally showing how the expansion of modern medical education at the University is built upon, and would not be possible without, the foundation of six centuries of higher education and