Professor John Robinson and brother William 1992 William Robinson Professor John Robinson and brother Willliam 1992 Oil on canvas 198.5 x 138cm Private Collection Full screen Robinson joins his brother John, a professor of mathematics, in this double portrait. Its use of full-length poses creates distance from the viewer, inviting an examination of the painting’s exchange of ideas on the nature of duality, and the desire for unity. The brothers’ complementary robes convey both their shared ancestry and the distinctions that separate them. Robinson’s nightwear borrows authority from his brother’s academic gown, as if it may indicate a chivalric order. The Professor’s costume of public achievement is tempered by the nightgown, an evocation of the artist’s awakened state to the private and interior. Back to Self Portraits | Next painting Print friendly version