Fellows, students, staff and the Rands family gathered in the Bradfield Room last night to celebrate the unveiling of the Master’s official portrait.
Professor Sara Baker, who oversaw the process of commissioning the work, welcomed attendees to the first opportunity to view the painting, which will commemorate Dr Rands’ time in office.
While, according to standard Cambridge practice, a committee had been convened to select the artist, in the event the College was fortunate in being able to secure the Master’s own first choice. Rosalie Watkins, whose portrait of Sir David Attenborough had been admired by Dr Rands, came to Darwin for a week last summer, and for regular subsequent sittings.
Having agreed on an outdoor setting on an overcast day, Rosalie recreated the required lighting conditions inside as “Mike couldn’t be endlessly available when the clouds aligned!” However, much of the sitting did take place in the gardens, attracting the interest of passers-by.
Dr Rands described the experience of sitting for the portrait as “an extraordinary process,” explaining that Rosalie asked numerous questions about his life, career and background to keep him engaged and animated, and to ensure a sense of his personality was reflected in the finished picture. “It absorbed the atmosphere of the College, and of people stopping to look and ask questions,” he said.
Rosalie agreed. “It felt instinctive to set Mike in the gardens – he seemed to completely belong there. It’s difficult to articulate how special the atmosphere is at Darwin in the quiet evenings in mid-August. Thank you to the College community for making me so welcome.”
The portrait will join those of Dr Rands’ predecessors in the Dining Hall, providing a visual history of Darwin leadership.
Dr Mike Rands with the artist, Rosalie Watkins
Dr Rands and his family
