Doctors as Artists - Mahendra and Chirasri

 DOCTORS AS ARTISTS

A discussion between Mahendra (Speedy)  Gonsalkorale and Chirasri Jayaweera Bandara.

Speedy: This article was prompted by comments that appeared in your beautiful bird paintings post Chira, in response to my question “I was wondering whether all good surgeons are also good artists. What do people think?”

Chira: I know Mahendra and thanks for developing that theme and coming out with this dialogue.

Speedy: Ok, here we go!

I was trying to see whether there is a common underlying skill, as both require dexterity and imagination. I looked at the published literature and found some interesting articles. When we consider “art” as a broad heading it would include painting, etching sculpture and also literary skills such as poetry and writing. Here we are concerned mainly with painting.

I would recommend a very informative article, “Physicians as Painters” by Avi Ohry MD Department of Rehabilitation, Reuth Medical Center, Tel Aviv, Israel Affiliated to Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv, Israel Keywords: medicine, art, poetry IMAJ 2003;5:681±684.

The following quotes are from the above publication.

It seems that close and creative relationships existed between physicians and painters. Examples include the great poet-physician John Keats (1795-1821) and Joseph Severn; Francois Joseph Talma (1763-1826) ± physician-actor whose friendship with the famous painter David led to Talma designing historical costumes for the theater; the friendship between the poet-writer-surgeon-satirist John Wolcot (his pseudonym was Peter Pindar) (1738-1819) and the painter John Opie (1761-1807 . Van Gogh`s physician, Paul-Ferdinand Gachet, was known as the impressionist painter's patron. Dr. Paul Alexandre (1881-1968), Dr. (dentist) Maurice Girardin (Paris, 1884±1951) who left 420 paintings to the city of Paris, and Dr. Albert Barnes (Philadelphia, 1872-1951) were physicians and art collectors.

Let us focus our attention on physician-painters. Curiously, both professions share the same patron saint. St. Luke, born in Antioch, was known to have been a Greek physician who accompanied Paul after the ascension of Jesus.  . Krateuas (or Crateuas), who lived in the first century, was a physician to Mithridates VI Eupator, king of Pontus. He was known as a physician, actor, chemist, and painter. He described and illustrated plants using natural colors, and some fragments of his works are included in the Anicia Codex of Dioscorides housed in the Vienna State Library.

One of the great Dutch painters, Jacob van Ruisdal (1682-1629) from Harlem (his real name was Izack de Gooyer), was a physician in Amsterdam . William Thorenton (1759-1828), born on Jost van Dyke Island (today the Virgin Islands), was sent to Edinburgh and Aberdeen to study medicine.

Francois Emile Camus (Dijon, 1829-1893) was a physician and sculptor who worked with bronze. Georges-Alexandre Chicotot, one of the first French radiologists, mostly painted medical paintings or scenarios. Paul Louis Collin, born in Thorigny in 1834, was a physician and painter who worked with Courbet. He mainly painted landscapes and still-life. Frederic Estre (Marseille, 1813 and Reuilly, 1902) was a psychiatrist and painter His paintings were exhibited all over Europe.

In England, John Leech (1817-1864), educated at Charterhouse, began his medical studies at St. Bartholomew's but turned to art. His teachers were aware of his talent and urged him not to restrict himself to anatomic drawings but to do portraits as well

Sir Francis Seymour Haden (1818-1910) was an English etcher, writer and successful surgeon in London who founded a hospital for patients with incurable diseases. 

William Rimmer (1816- 1879), whose father claimed their family was directly linked to the French royal family, was born in Liverpool and raised in Boston. He was the first American artist to sculpt the nude figure. His paintings were varied in subject matter, including historical themes, portraiture, biblical subjects and romantic visionary fantasy.

Henry Lamb (1883-1960), born in Adelaide in South Africa, studied medicine at Manchester University Medical School and at Guy's Hospital before taking up painting.

Here is an abstract of an article by Professor WIC Morris.

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. 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. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2218/resmedica.v2i1.330

The following quote by Janet Seggie in “Medicine and the humanities - doctors as artists” was quite interesting,

“The clinical gaze [has] much in common with the artist's eye” - M Faith McLellan

http://www.scielo.org.za/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0256-95742014000200001

According to Martha Fleming, 'Artists and doctors share highly developed observational skills and a fundamental love for humankind'.  (Fleming M. Looking and Healing: Artists and their Doctors. Lecture Seminar, Centre for Humanities and Health, King's College London, UK, 2012. http://www.marthafleming.net/looking-and-healing-artists-and-their-doctors)

Speedy: The following story will appeal to Ophthalmic surgeons like you, Chirasri.

Dr. Jaclyn Gurwin, a third year Ophthalmology resident at the University of Pennsylvania’s Scheie Eye Institute, has been drawing and painting since a young age. Her paintings are especially delicate. Her meticulous work requires close examination to appreciate all the nuances of colour and line variations happening within her paintings. Yet despite their impressive attention to detail, her works remain soft and unforced in their intricacy. The physical dexterity and artistic eye needed to create her paintings is something that has translated exceptionally well to the precise work she must do surgically on the eye in ophthalmology, which Dr. Gurwin sees as an extraordinarily artistic field. Dr. Gurwin attributes her art background to providing her with the creative tools that help her problem solve in the operating room to create the best aesthetic and functional result possible.

Chira: That was so interesting and certainly struck a chord!

Speedy: I knew it would! I now show some relevant comments that appeared in your post, MY PAINTINGS OF BIRDS on the 6^th of June 2022.

Chira: Thanks, Mahendra. I posted this to start the discussion after you posed the question you started with.” Mahendra, regarding all good surgeons are also good artists. Zita is an Eye surgeon who is a good artist who used to make beautiful greetings cards.

I think surgeons are too busy to paint unless they have started painting before they became surgeons.

I myself started painting after retirement. On my own, I created a method of performing Freehand Keratoplasty making a template with sterilised paper first and later cloth and also performing Penetrating Keratoplasty (corneal grafting) on Hypopyon ( pus in the anterior chamber) Ulcers.

The above two operations had not been done by Ophthalmologists at that time in Sri Lanka and elsewhere. (This was published in my Achievements in Ophthalmology on 2. 9. 21 in our Blog). Artists are creative in nature!

My daughter Anjali is a good artist and Mahendra, you had published one of her Pencil Drawings in our Blog under Family News on 25.10.21 Several of her Pencil Drawings have been published in the Kasturba Medical College Journal in Manipal, India where she studied Medicine.

Since a surgeon has patience and is precise on making incisions and good at suturing wounds, I feel a surgeon will be able to paint as well do Cross stitching if he or she attempts.

Chira: Mahendra, I like to give two examples – the first is Dr. Sunil Kulatunge VOG, (his wife is a Consultant Ophthalmologist, one of my trainees), who is an artist doing paintings, cross stitching etc. Here is what he said:

Dr Sunil Kulatunga’s observations.

“Since I was young I have always been intrigued by activities that necessitated the use of my hands and fingers for delicate movements. Even though the possibilities seemed endless. I eventually took up painting, sewing, embroidery, and cross-stitching as my hobbies.

I personally believe that these hobbies have really helped me hone my skills as a surgeon. Painting has enabled me to delicately hold small objects between my fingers and make accurate movements.

However, I believe sewing, embroidery and cross-stitching to be the hobby which was most beneficial for me as a surgeon. It enabled me to unknowingly practice my craft even before becoming a surgeon. The attentiveness and fine movements required of a surgeon is also required to become proficient in sewing, embroidery and cross-stitching.

Another important aspect is that it trains you to keep attention for long periods of time. Painting, sewing, embroidery and cross-stitching are very meditative in nature and the same close scrutiny and attention required from a surgeon is required from them as mistakes are difficult and time-consuming to rectify”.

Chira: The next is an example of a busy surgeon known to me (my first cousin’s son-in-law) Dr. Jayaindra Fernando who started painting when he was a teenager. He is a great surgeon and an accomplished great artist who has held four big exhibitions at the Lionel Wendt Art Gallery and several other exhibitions. I have been to these exhibitions showing beautiful paintings

Dr. Jayaindra Fernando, Consultant General Surgeon, Lanka Hospitals. Past President - College of Surgeons of Sri Lanka. He was awarded the Honorary Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons Edinburgh in June 2022. He writes- “Every surgeon is in some way an artist. If not he or she cannot be a good surgeon. However, a few surgeons take it one step further and make art by itself a serious hobby or a part-time profession. Many articles are listed in Pubmed on this subject. As for me, I have been a serious artist since my teens and upgrading myself as an undergraduate. Four major art exhibitions, many minor exhibitions and many publications have been opportunities to share them. Currently, I continue art and a sample of my work can be seen online www.jayaindra.com/art

Speedy: Thanks, Chira. My question was prompted by speculating about an association of manual dexterity and skill required for a good surgeon with the artistic skills possessed by a good artist. I just wondered whether surgeons who do highly skilled surgery such as ophthalmic, plastic and neurosurgery would also be good artists But to be a good artist, you need creative skills as well as the ability to visualise. I suppose there are many doctors (not necessarily surgeons) who never tried to paint or draw as they were too busy pursuing their chosen careers.

I came across a few historical and more recent doctor-artists. They are,

Santiago Ramon y Cajal was an incredibly influential pathologist and artist who did a lot of drawings of nerves. He was also apparently a talented painter in his youth,

Roy Calne, the notable transplant surgeon from the UK, has exhibited his various media artworks

Frank Netter. Surgeon and medical illustrator, published an anatomical atlas 1989, probably one of the most used and beloved in medical schools today.

Adefemi Gbadamosi, also known as Fola David, is a current medical doctor from Nigeria who doubles as a visual artist. When it comes to his art he finds inspiration from the patients he treats especially those with skin conditions.

Andreas Vesalius. 16th-century, Anatomist and Physician, wrote and illustrated one of the first true anatomic atlases, with beautiful, classically inspired, prints

Dr Jaya Gupta, Dermatologist and Painter, a current Indian doctor

Dr Sharanbir Kaur, Dentist and Illustrator from India again.

I am sure there are many more. Apart from common skills, I perceived the need for a busy doctor to have a really relaxing hobby.  

Chira: Very interesting. What caught my attention most was Frank Netter Surgeon who published an anatomical atlas very useful, especially to medical students.

Ophthalmic surgeons do very fine surgery using the operating microscope, especially for Cataract surgery, Corneal surgery such as grafting, Glaucoma surgery etc. These surgeries are very intricate and precise. I feel that if Eye Surgeons attempt painting, they will succeed. I feel also that not only surgeons but also others such as Neurologists like you, Radiologists like Nihal are good artists.

Speedy: Manel (Owlie) sent this comment- “Mahen. I think surgery does improve painting. Chira is in exalted company. As Leonardo. Da Vinci knew the importance of knowing the anatomy and as he was not a doctor and had no access to surgery, he stole cadavers from graves and did dissections. But then in Naples he did dissections at a medical college; I don’t know how. So, surgeons do make very good painters. Though I don’t personally know any other surgeon who has done fabulous paintings like Chira”.

Speedy: Owlie is right. But they are so many aspects of Art and it is difficult to generalise. If you look at truly original and creative painting, the skills required are different from paintings done for example in Medieval times with fine graphic detail. Both require skills but, in my view, of a different kind. The ability to visualise and copy is different from the ability to "see what is not there to see" and produce a visually powerful representation.

Chira: I found this exercise very stimulating and let us hope we get some good feedback.

Speedy: Indeed, it was most interesting and I too hope we get some useful feedback.