Portraits. Edited by Gordon Wolstenholme; the portraits described by David Piper
Royal College of Physicians of London
Category
Books
Date
1964
Materials
Place of origin
England
Collection
Chartwell, Kent
NT 3137409
Summary
The book is a catalogue of the portraits owned by the College and in their possession. Book gifted by: Edward Charles Dodds the President who represented the Royal College of Physicians of London from 1962 -1966 Book Inscription Signature: Edward Charles Dodds Book Inscription: Presented to The Rt Hon Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill, Honorary Fellow of the College, Edward Charles Dodds, 15 Jan, President 1964. Date of Inscription: 15 January 1964
Full description
**The Inscribed Books Collection, to which this book belongs, consists of gift inscriptions on third party books given to Sir Winston Churchill from friends, family, and well-wishers, unsolicited presentation copies of books by strangers, as well as presentation copies from authors who were genuine friends and colleagues. After his death in January 1965, Churchill personally bequeathed the collection via his Will as a testament to his national and international achievements. 'The Royal College of Physicians of London - Portraits' is a catalogue of the portraits owned by the Royal College of Physicians and in their possession. The College holds an important collection of portraits of eminent physicians spanning 500 years of medical history. The collection of over 200 includes works by Cornelius Johnson, Peter Lely, Joshua Reynolds, Thomas Lawrence and Elizabeth Frink. In 1596 the College announced that any member or ‘noble person’ could display his portrait or coat of arms on payment of £10. Almost all the early portraits were lost in 1666 when the College was destroyed in the Great Fire of London. Since then the collections have grown and from the 1940s a portrait of every out-going president is commissioned after their term of office. The portraits tend to be formal, some reflect the sitter’s medical background or personal interests. Johann Zoffany’s 1772 portrait of William Hunter is the most famous painting in the collection. Surgeon and ‘man-midwife’ Hunter is depicted in his role as the first anatomy professor of the new Royal Academy of Arts, lecturing before an audience including academy president Sir Joshua Reynolds.
Bibliographic description
468p. . 8vo.. Shelflist entry - state unknown. Provenance: Inscribed "Presented to The Rt Hon Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill, Honorary Fellow of the College, Edward Charles Dodds, 15 Jan, President 1964". Binding: Leather binding.
Provenance
The book was gifted to Churchill by the President of the Royal College of Physicians of London from 1962 to 1966, Edward Charles Dodds (13 October 1899 - 16 December 1973). The British biochemist inscribed the book with his signature as well as a message, January 1964, which reads: "Presented to The Rt Hon Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill, Honorary Fellow of the College, Edward Charles Dodds, xx Jan, President 1964." By this time Churchill's health was deteriorating, but he was fully aware of the Royal College of Physicians. His personal physician from 1941 until his death in 1964 was Charles Wilson, 1st Baron Moran. Wilson was a member of the College and President from 1941 to 1949. The College honoured every other commoner commemorated in Munk’s Roll by conferring its Fellowship; Sir Winston Churchill honoured the College by accepting it. He addressed the Fellows on two occasions. At a luncheon on March 2nd, 1944, he was able to assure them that the patient he had been looking after for many years was no longer in mortal danger. On July 10th, 1951, when he presented his friend, Lord Moran, with his portrait by Pietro Annigoni, he offered his services in an emergency as he was now an Honorary Fellow of both Royal Colleges.
Makers and roles
Royal College of Physicians of London David Piper (b.1918) Gordon Ethelbert Ward Wolstenholme