Doctors and Artists

Abstract

In "The Doctor's Dilemma," Bernard Shaw suggests that there is more antagonism than attraction between the doctor-scientist and the painter. The average doctor may, however, make some claim to be an artist. In his professional work,art plays some role, even if it is restricted to that much maligned professional accessory the bedside manner. Doctors in their hobbies sometimes display a wider taste in art-for instance as painters or collectors.It is, however, my desire in this article to deal less with the links between doctors and art than with those between certain doctors and their artists. From the introduction of printing these links have been very close. The medical text-book has always required skilled illustration to make intelligible a letterpress which has not always been artistic. Many works of great medical importance owe their lasting fame as much to the perspicacity and skill of the illustrator as to any other inherent merit.