The bust of Johannes Hevelius was part of the Royal Castle’s historic collections. Alongside the sculptures of Chronos and Fame, as well as a series of bronze busts of famous Polish personages and the painted decoration, it constitutes the iconographic scheme for the Knights’ Hall which was furnished in the years 1781–6 and was intended to commemorate distinguished individuals as well as glorious events in Polish history. The sculpture is one of 18 smaller busts that were placed in the Knights’ Hall. The bust of Hevelius seems to have been modelled on an etching depicting the astronomer made by Jeremias Falck (after Helmich Twenhausen). When modelling the bust, Le Brun faithfully repeated the facial features, the hairstyle and facial hair, as well as certain articles of clothing, including the large collar edged with lace. The sculptor was probably cognisant of other iconographic sources connected with the astronomer from Danzig. These may have included a printed impression (formerly in the Stanisław August collection, now in the Print Room of the University of Warsaw Library) depicting a medal with the bust of Helvetius made by Arvid Karlsteen. In 1790 Stanisław August gave a bronze copy of the bust (now in the National Museum in Gdańsk) to Danzig City Council. Inscribed HEVELIUS on front, under the bust. Inscribed JOAN: HEVELIUS / + MDCLXXXVII. in gold letters on front of base. Johannes Hevelius (1611–87). Son of Abraham Hewelke, a Danzig-based merchant and brewer and Karolina née Hecker. Alderman, later Chief Councillor of the Old Town of Danzig (now Gdańsk). Outstanding astronomer and the author of the first accurate maps of the moon and publications on comets.