Portraits of Doctors and Scientists in the Wellcome Institute of the History of Medicine

Wellcome Institute for the History of Medicine, London, [first edition, 1973Wellcome Institute for the History of Medicine, London, first edition, 1973. Cloth, large 8vo, 30 cm,. xxiv, 459 pp, with illustrations of 377 portraits.portraits. 3269 entries + 36 in the addenda, giving details of some 12.000 portraits. From the foreword: "The extent of the collection of medical and scientific portraits in the Wellcome Institute is well known among specialist historians of medicine and a complete catalogue has been long awaited… The collection covers all countries and periods, but this Catalogue docs not include portrait groups, the many hundreds of portraits in oils, the even more numerous sculptured and medallic portraits, nor the original photographs, all of which will provide sufficient material for a later volume. .. The portraits described in this Catalogue have been acquired by gift or purchase, many as individual items, but most as small collections by the late Sir Henry Wellcome during the period 1896-1936. Among notable collections is that which was formed by Dr. T. J. Pettigrew (1791-1865) whose own Medical Portrait Gallery was published in 1838-40. The work of individual artists includes Rembrandt's etching of J. A. Van der Linden, Van Gogh's portrait of Dr. Gachet, Anders Zorn's of the Stockholm surgeon J. W. Berg, and Landseer's drawing of S. Cartwright. A collection of pencil sketches by C. E. Liverati of members of the Third Congress of Italian Scientists at Florence in 1841 and another of Spy's water- colours for his Vanity Fair caricatures are also of considerable interest. The Catalogue is illustrated with reproductions of 377 portraits, their selection being based on their comparative rarity and their quality.". From the introduction - "This Catalogue of Portraits comprises engravings, etchings, lithographs, drawings, some watercolours and a few reproductions of paintings and drawings whose documentary value justifies their inclusion in a catalogue which otherwise deals only with graphic originals. Portraits of 3,269 individuals are recorded in this Catalogue, with another 36 in the Addenda. .. Each entry presents in its descriptive part four to six distinct units… I.Type of print and measurements..II The sitter's length, his position, action and attributes. Where the date of the original portrait is missing, his approximate age when the portrait was made is indicated. III. Artist's names are recorded as given in the imprint. IV.The name of the publisher and date of publication, or author and title of books, in which the portrait appears. V. Short notes on literature consulted for elucidation of the identity of the sitter, authenticity of the portrait and particulars of the artists..VI. Where different states of an engraving are distinguished, these appear at the end of the entry..". Very Good in slightly rubbed dustwrapper.