August Wilhelm von Hofmann, German organic chemist, late 19th century.

Photogravure after a painting by Hanns Fechner of Hofmann (1818-1892) who in 1845 became the first director of the Royal College of Chemistry in London. He was also chemist to the Royal Mint. Hofmann was profesor of chemistry in Berlin, and founded the German Chemical Society in 1868. He obtained aniline, (a dye), from coal products, and discovered formaldehyde and other organic compounds. From a collection of portraits of scientists published by Photographische Gesellschaft, Berlin, 1910. Dimensions: 460 mm x 340 mm.