Portrait of Abraham Hill

Head and shoulders portrait of Abraham Hill regarding the viewer over his right shoulder. Hill’s dress is simple, a dark robe with a white square collar visible at the neck. His plain collar and natural hair, shoulder-length and shorter at the top, are both typical of the style of the 1650s.

In a pine frame with metred joints, and foliage and bead-shot design.

Abraham Hill (1635-1722), British merchant, book and coin collector, was a founding Fellow of the Royal Society, elected in 1660. His administrative abilities led him to the heart of the Society, where he served as a member of Council (1663-1666, 1672-1721), Secretary (1673-1675), Treasurer (1663-1665, 1679-1700) and Vice President (1715-1716), and sat on various committees.

Hill also served as Assistant (1683-85) and Deputy Governor (1688-90) to the Royal African Company, RAC, a Crown-approved British trading company. The RAC was heavily involved in the transatlantic slave trade, and by the time of Hill’s involvement with it is estimated to have been trading 5,000 enslaved people per year. Hill appears to have been central in securing the Society’s purchase of RAC stock in 1682, overseeing its initial investment worth £250.

In 1696 Hill was appointed a Commissioner of Trade and Plantations on William and Mary’s newly assembled Board of Trade. He was one of eight salaried Commissioners whose role was to to supervise colonial affairs and protect domestic production and trade, which he did via the nomination of and close contact with colonial governors on their administrative affairs and goods production.

The portrait is attributed to John Hayls based on a familial association with the artist and some stylistic grounds, however, the exact identity of the artist has not been confirmed.