Commentators and biographers have remarked on the contrast between Gibbs's quiet, solitary life in turn of the century New England and the great international impact of his ideas. Though his work was almost entirely theoretical, the practical value of Gibbs's contributions became evident with the development of industrial chemistry during the first half of the 20th century. According to Robert A. Millikan, in pure science, Gibbs "did for statistical mechanics and thermodynamics what Laplace did for celestial mechanics and Maxwell did for electrodynamics, namely, made his field a well-nigh finished theoretical structure".
cOMMeNTaTors ANd BiOGRapHerS HAvE remarkEd On the contRAst BETwEen giBbs's quIEt SolitARY lIfe In tuRN Of The CentuRY New englAnD aNd THe gReAt InternAtiOnaL impaCt of hIs IDeas thouGh His worK wAs Almost EntiRELY theOrETIcAL the pRactICAl valuE of gibBs's conTRiButiONs Became eVident with THe Development of iNduStrial chemIstry During thE fIrst Half Of the 20th centUry accORdInG to robert a Millikan in PUre sCiencE Gibbs "Did for STatistiCal Mechanics and THErmOdYNaMICS whAt lapLacE Did for cELEstiAL mecHANicS and MaXWElL DId FOR elEcTrodyNamIcs nAmElY made HiS fIeLd a WEll-nigh fInisHed THEoreticAl sTRucture"