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Secondary sourcePainting1923

The Four Founders of UCL

Henry Tonks · 1923

A 1923 mural depicting Bentham among the legendary founders of University College London, portraying a role larger than his actual involvement.

This mural commemorates Bentham's legendary, though limited, role in the founding of UCL.

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Detail of a painted scene showing a man in a dark coat and wide-brimmed hat holding a document, surrounded by other men in period dress, with a figure in red and a seated woman in the right foreground, set against a classical building and sky.
Henry Tonks, The Four Founders of UCL, 1923 mural, University College London.

About this source

What it is

This is a detail from Henry Tonks's 1923 mural 'The Four Founders of UCL', painted at University College London. It shows a man in a dark coat and wide-brimmed hat holding a document, surrounded by other figures in period dress, set against a classical building.

Why it matters

The mural reflects the later myth that grew around Bentham's connection to UCL, often presenting him as approving the university's founding plans. In reality, his role was more limited, making this painting a good example of how legends can grow around historical figures after their death.

Look closer

  • What does the painting suggest about Bentham's role, and how might that differ from the historical record?
  • Why might an institution want to commemorate a founder with a dramatic painting decades later?
  • What is left out of this scene that might give a fuller picture of events?

This painting is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Jeremy Bentham on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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