Engraving with letterpres from an early book (Grec chapter 25). Pythagoras (569BC -c 475BC) was the first pure mathematician. Born in Samos, Greece, he was educated in his youth by three philosophers who introduced him to mathematical ideas: Pherekydes, Thales and Anaximander. Pythagoras settled in Crotona, Southern Italy, where he founded a moral and religious school. 'Pythagoreanism' was both a philosophy and a way of life - followers had no posesions and were strict vegetarians. The school also made some important contributions to mathematics. Today, Pythagoras is best remembered for his famous geometry theorem which states that for a right angled triangle, the square on the hypotenuse is equal to the sum of the squares on the other two sides.

Section of a room with Greek ornaments, published by Matthias Darly. Ink on paper. England, 1770.

ST JOHN THE BAPTIST - icon given to Churchill by Archbishop Damaskinos, Head of the Greek Orthodox Church

Coloured etching by James Gillray. This political caricature satirises the subscription raised by Charles James Fox after his coalition defeat over the India Bill, regarding the governing of India by the East India Company. The crowd are all depicted holding daggers and begging for alms in the Crown and Anchor Inn on 5 June 1793. The people illustrated include Charles Mahon 3rd Lord Stanhope, Joseph Priestley and Hall the apothecary. Hall was secretary to the Whig Club and the Charity Committee and his pocket holds a syringe and a medicine bottle labelled W Pitt. Dimensions: 422 mm x 349 mm.

Section of a room with Greek ornaments, published by Matthias Darly. Ink on paper. England, 1770.

Photograph by Roger Fenton. In 1853, the British Museum asked Fenton to document parts of their collection as their official photographer. He went on to take many photographs of classical busts, skeletons, Assyrian tablets and other works of art. Fenton was a founding member of the Royal Photographic Society and one of the most influential photographers of the 1850s. He is best known as one of the first war photographers, from his work in the Crimea in 1855. However, he also took many highly-regarded photographs of the Royal Family as well as many superb landscapes, architectural studies and still lifes.

ST JOHN THE BAPTIST - icon given to Churchill by Archbishop Damaskinos, Head of the Greek Orthodox Church