Charles William King
Encyclopedia
Charles William King was a British
Victorian
writer and collector of gems
.
, Monmouthshire
, and entered Trinity College, Cambridge
, in 1836. He graduated in 1840, and obtained a fellowship in 1842. He was a senior fellow at the time of his death in London
.
, where he laid the foundation of his collection of engraved gems and gemstones
, which, having been increased by subsequent purchases in London
, was sold by him in consequence of his failing eyesight, and was presented in 1881 to the Metropolitan Museum of Art
, New York
.
He was recognized universally as one of the greatest authorities in this department of art. His chief works on the subject are:
He was thoroughly familiar with the works of Greek
and Latin
authors, especially those of Pausanias
and Pliny the Elder
, which bore upon the subject in which he was most interested; but he had little taste for the minutiae of verbal criticism.
In 1869, he brought out an edition of Horace
, illustrated from antique gems. He also translated Plutarch
's Moralia (1882) and the theosophical works of the Emperor Julian
(1888), for Bohn's Classical Library.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Victorian
Victorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
writer and collector of gems
Gemstone
A gemstone or gem is a piece of mineral, which, in cut and polished form, is used to make jewelry or other adornments...
.
Early life
King was born at NewportNewport
Newport is a city and unitary authority area in Wales. Standing on the banks of the River Usk, it is located about east of Cardiff and is the largest urban area within the historic county boundaries of Monmouthshire and the preserved county of Gwent...
, Monmouthshire
Monmouthshire (historic)
Monmouthshire , also known as the County of Monmouth , is one of thirteen ancient counties of Wales and a former administrative county....
, and entered Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
, in 1836. He graduated in 1840, and obtained a fellowship in 1842. He was a senior fellow at the time of his death in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
Gem Expert
He spent much time in ItalyItaly
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, where he laid the foundation of his collection of engraved gems and gemstones
Gemstones
Gemstones is the third solo album by Adam Green, released in 2005. The album is characterised by the heavy presence of Wurlitzer piano, whereas its predecessor relied on a string section in its instrumentation.-Track listing:#Gemstones – 2:24...
, which, having been increased by subsequent purchases in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, was sold by him in consequence of his failing eyesight, and was presented in 1881 to the Metropolitan Museum of Art
Metropolitan Museum of Art
The Metropolitan Museum of Art is a renowned art museum in New York City. Its permanent collection contains more than two million works, divided into nineteen curatorial departments. The main building, located on the eastern edge of Central Park along Manhattan's Museum Mile, is one of the...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
.
He was recognized universally as one of the greatest authorities in this department of art. His chief works on the subject are:
- Antique Gems, their Origin, Uses and Value (1860), a complete and exhaustive treatise;
- The Natural History of Precious Stones and Gems and of the Precious Metals (1865);
- Early Christian Numismatics (1873);
- The Handbook of Engraved Gems (2nd ed., 1885);
- The Gnostics and their Remains (2nd ed. by J Jacobs, 1887, which led to an animated correspondence in the Athenaeum).
Classicist
King took holy orders, but never held any cure.He was thoroughly familiar with the works of Greek
Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek is the stage of the Greek language in the periods spanning the times c. 9th–6th centuries BC, , c. 5th–4th centuries BC , and the c. 3rd century BC – 6th century AD of ancient Greece and the ancient world; being predated in the 2nd millennium BC by Mycenaean Greek...
and Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
authors, especially those of Pausanias
Pausanias (geographer)
Pausanias was a Greek traveler and geographer of the 2nd century AD, who lived in the times of Hadrian, Antoninus Pius and Marcus Aurelius. He is famous for his Description of Greece , a lengthy work that describes ancient Greece from firsthand observations, and is a crucial link between classical...
and Pliny the Elder
Pliny the Elder
Gaius Plinius Secundus , better known as Pliny the Elder, was a Roman author, naturalist, and natural philosopher, as well as naval and army commander of the early Roman Empire, and personal friend of the emperor Vespasian...
, which bore upon the subject in which he was most interested; but he had little taste for the minutiae of verbal criticism.
In 1869, he brought out an edition of Horace
Horace
Quintus Horatius Flaccus , known in the English-speaking world as Horace, was the leading Roman lyric poet during the time of Augustus.-Life:...
, illustrated from antique gems. He also translated Plutarch
Plutarch
Plutarch then named, on his becoming a Roman citizen, Lucius Mestrius Plutarchus , c. 46 – 120 AD, was a Greek historian, biographer, essayist, and Middle Platonist known primarily for his Parallel Lives and Moralia...
's Moralia (1882) and the theosophical works of the Emperor Julian
Julian the Apostate
Julian "the Apostate" , commonly known as Julian, or also Julian the Philosopher, was Roman Emperor from 361 to 363 and a noted philosopher and Greek writer....
(1888), for Bohn's Classical Library.
External links
- "The Gnostics and their Remains" - online text of the book