Skip to main content Skip to main navigation
heart-solid My Visit Donate
Home Smithsonian Institution IK development site for ODI
Press Enter to activate a submenu, down arrow to access the items and Escape to close the submenu.
    • Overview
    • Museums and Zoo
    • Entry and Guidelines
    • Museum Maps
    • Dine and Shop
    • Accessibility
    • Visiting with Kids
    • Group Visits
    • Overview
    • Exhibitions
    • Online Events
    • All Events
    • IMAX & Planetarium
    • Overview
    • Topics
    • Collections
    • Research Resources
    • Stories
    • Podcasts
    • Overview
    • For Caregivers
    • For Educators
    • For Students
    • For Academics
    • For Lifelong Learners
    • Overview
    • Become a Member
    • Renew Membership
    • Make a Gift
    • Volunteer
    • Overview
    • Our Organization
    • Our Leadership
    • Reports and Plans
    • Newsdesk
heart-solid My Visit Donate

Carl Sagan

Portrait Gallery

There are restrictions for re-using this image. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page .
International media Interoperability Framework
IIIF provides researchers rich metadata and media viewing options for comparison of works across cultural heritage collections. Visit the IIIF page to learn more.
View manifest View in Mirador Viewer

Object Details

Artist

Raul Vega, born c. 1955

Sitter

Carl Edward Sagan, 9 Nov 1934 - 20 Dec 1996

Exhibition Label

Time magazine published this portrait of Carl Sagan on the cover of its October 20, 1980, issue, pro claiming the Cornell University astronomer “America’s most effective salesman of science.” As the face of the award-winning television series Cosmos (1980) and as a frequent guest on NBC’s Tonight Show, Sagan achieved international fame as a highly successful science communicator and accomplished planetary scientist.
An expert on Venus’s atmosphere and its extremely strong greenhouse effect, Sagan was concerned by the growing greenhouse effect on Earth and testified before Congress in 1985. “Because the effects occupy more than a human generation, there is a tendency to say that they are not our problem.” Sagan warned. “But the problem is that there are effects—and the greenhouse effect is one of them—which have long time consequences. If you don’t worry about it now, it’s too late later on.”
La revista Time publicó este retrato de Carl Sagan el 20 de octubre de 1980, afirmando que este astrónomo de la Universidad Cornell era “el vende dor de ciencias más eficaz de Estados Unidos”. Como conductor de la premiada serie televisiva Cosmos (1980) e invitado frecuente en el Tonight Show de la cadena NBC, Sagan se hizo famoso mundialmente como gran divulgador y científico planetario.
Siendo un experto en la atmósfera de Venus y su extremo efecto de invernadero, Sagan estaba preo cupado por el creciente efecto de invernadero en la Tierra y testificó ante el Congreso en 1985. “Dado que los efectos se extienden por más de una genera ción humana, se tiende a decir que no son problema nuestro”, advirtió Sagan. “Pero el problema es que sí hay efectos, incluido el de invernadero, que tienen consecuencias a largo plazo. Si no se preocupan ahora, después será muy tarde”.

Collection Description

In 1978, Time magazine donated approximately eight hundred works of original cover art to the National Portrait Gallery. The museum is dedicated to telling the stories of individuals who have shaped the United States, and the Time Collection—featuring prominent international figures and events—enriches our understanding of the United States in a global context.
En 1978, la revista Time donó a la National Portrait Gallery cerca de 800 obras de arte originales creadas para sus portadas. Nuestro museo se dedica a narrar la historia de figuras que han contribuido a forjar el desarrollo de Estados Unidos, y es así que la Colección Time, que incluye retratos de importantes personalidades internacionales, nos ayuda a comprender mejor a nuestra nación en un contexto global.

Credit Line

National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; gift of Time magazine

Date

1980

Object number

NPG.82.TC136

Restrictions & Rights

Usage conditions apply

Copyright

© Raúl Vega Photography

Type

Photograph

Medium

Chromogenic print with opaque white paint on paper

Dimensions

Image/Sheet: 57.5 × 50.5cm (22 5/8 × 19 7/8")
Board: 60.8 × 50.6cm (23 15/16 × 19 15/16")

See more items in

National Portrait Gallery Collection

Location

Currently not on view

Data Source

National Portrait Gallery

Topic

Exterior\Waterscape\Seascape
Nature & Environment\Water\Ocean
Carl Edward Sagan: Male
Carl Edward Sagan: Arts and Culture\Literature\Writer\Scientific writer
Carl Edward Sagan: Science and Technology\Scientist\Astronomer
Carl Edward Sagan: Literary awards\Pulitzer Prize
Portrait

Metadata Usage

Usage conditions apply

Link to Original Record

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/sm4850b4726-905a-49d6-b3b1-9c0a8422d81d

Record ID

npg_NPG.82.TC136

Discover More

California Raisin ad campaign

1980s: A Decade in the Collections

Earth Day Celebrated postage stamp showing hands holding the Earth

Earth Day

arrow-up Back to top
Home
  • Facebook facebook
  • Instagram instagram
  • LinkedIn linkedin
  • YouTube youtube

  • Contact Us
  • Get Involved
  • Shop Online
  • Job Opportunities
  • Equal Opportunity
  • Inspector General
  • Records Requests
  • Accessibility
  • Host Your Event
  • Press Room
  • Privacy
  • Terms of Use