John Hunter
(1728-1793), Surgeon and anatomistMid-Georgian Portraits Catalogue Entry
Sitter in 13 portraits
John Hunter moved to London from his native Scotland in 1748. He established a successful surgical practice, and made numerous discoveries in medical science and anatomy. He became Fellow of the Royal Society in 1767, and Surgeon-General in 1790. After his death, Hunter quickly gained a reputation as having been the founding father of his profession. His collection of nearly 14,000 natural history specimens became the basis of the Hunterian Museum at the Royal College of Surgeons, London.
by Unknown artist
plaster cast of life mask, 1913 or before, based on a work of circa 1785
NPG 1712
by Unknown artist
bronze cast of life-mask, 1962, based on a work of circa 1785
NPG 4288
by John Jackson, after Sir Joshua Reynolds
oil on canvas, 1813, based on a work of 1786
NPG 77
after Sir Joshua Reynolds
stipple engraving, (1786)
NPG D18821
by and published by William Sharp, and published by Benjamin Beale Evans, and published by William Skelton, after Sir Joshua Reynolds
line engraving, published 1 January 1788 (1786)
NPG D9006
by and published by William Sharp, published by Benjamin Beale Evans, published by William Skelton, after Sir Joshua Reynolds
line engraving, published 1 January 1788 (1786)
NPG D36394
by and published by William Sharp, published by Benjamin Beale Evans, published by William Skelton, after Sir Joshua Reynolds
line engraving, published 1 January 1788 (1786)
NPG D36395
published by Henry Palser, after Sir Joshua Reynolds
mezzotint, published 1788 (1786)
NPG D14236
by Henry Bone, after Sir Joshua Reynolds
pencil drawing squared in ink for transfer, 1798 (1786)
NPG D17261
by William Overend Geller, printed by S.H. Hawkins, published by Henry Benham, after Sir Joshua Reynolds
mezzotint, published 21 April 1836 (1786)
NPG D36396
by William Overend Geller, after Sir Joshua Reynolds
mezzotint, published 1836 (1786)
NPG D19254
by Thomas Herbert Maguire, printed by M & N Hanhart, after Nathaniel Dance (later Sir Nathaniel Holland, Bt)
lithograph, 1849 (1793)
NPG D36393
by John Shury, after Sir Joshua Reynolds
stipple and line engraving, circa 1812 (1786)
NPG D20215
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Nicole Karam
12 February 2019, 20:47
This portrait of John Hunter has thematic similarities with Walter Sickert's portrait, "Ennui," and may have inspired the latter work. Hunter was the real-life inspiration for Stevenson's Dr. Jekyll/ Mr. Hyde. According to forensic scientist and best-selling author Patricia Cornwell, Sickert was possibly Jack the Ripper. Sickert was obsessed with the fictitious Dr. Jekyll; he might've also been drawn to Hunter and his collection of organs from his midnight grave-robbing activities, removing women's organs as an homage to his 18th c predecessor.
In "Ennui," Sickert shows a woman gazing at a "murder" of crows (murder=flock of crows); a female subject stares at this "murder" contained in a bell jar without recognizing it. Cornwell points out that the painting-within-a-painting in "Ennui" shows a dark figure swooping down on an unsuspecting female victim.
In the Hunter portrait, evidence of his nefarious body snatching activities are also "Hyde"-n in plain view. The body of the disinterred Irish giant and a fetus, cowering in a bell jar with her hands over her eyes, are also juxtaposed against the face of a respectable public personae.