Sir Richard Owen, English naturalist and paleontologist, c 1880

Sir Richard Owen, English naturalist and paleontologist, c 1880. Carte de visite photograph by W & D Downey of Sir Richard Owen (1804-1892). Owen studied comparative anatomy under John Barclay (1758-1826) at Edinburgh University, continuing his studies at St Bartholomew's Hospital, London. In 1826 he became a member of the Royal College of Surgeons. From 1836-56 he was Hunterian Professor of Comparative Anatomy and Physiology, and, from 1856-83, the first Superintendent of the British Museum. He is famous for his work on British fossils, and his categorisation of dinosaurs, and wrote over 600 scientific papers during his career - including the pioneer essay 'Parthenogenesis'. He opposed Darwin's (1809-1882) theory of evolution which eventually led to his academic downfall as his ideas became outdated. ©SSPL/Science Museum