Portrait of a physician

Cornelius Johnson (1593 - 1661)

Royal College of Physicians Museum

1637

The sitter is a physician of high standing as shown by the inclusion of books by authors such as Hippocrates. His identity is currently unknown but he could be either Dr John Bathurst (?1600 - 1675) or Dr Lewin Fludd (?1612 - 1678). Bathurst became a Fellow of the College in 1637 (the date of the portrait). He was best known as Oliver Cromwell's physician, and was a friend of the artist, William Harvey. Lewin Fludd was the nephew of the eminent Dr Robert Fludd, a Fellow and Censor of the College. Robert Fludd was a philosopher and a supporter of the use of Paracelsian medicine. This work joins the college's unrivalled collection of medical portraits which provide a fascinating record of the most eminent figures in the history of British medicine from the 16th century.

• Medium: oil on canvas
• Dimensions: 127 x 102cm
• Art Fund Grant: £19000 ( Total: £78,000)
• ArtFunded in: 2008
• Vendor: Lane Fine Art

Provenance

Lord Boston by 1908; Christies, 1942; Wengraf; Christies, 1965; Private Collection, 1983, USA; Christopher Foley, 2003.

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