Commissioned by C.J.S. Thompson for the Historical Medical Exhibition, Wigmore Street, London (subsequently the Wellcome Historical Medical Museum). The first artist who received the commission was Gladys Mary Goring, of Egham (Staines), from 1913, Gladys Mary Eves, and from 1946 to her death in 1961 Lady (Hubert) Eves. She had already painted for Thompson a painting of the portico of the temple (completed on 22 March 1911). Thompson recommended her to use the details supplied by Defrasse and the colouring supplied by F.C. Penrose, The principles of Athenian architecture, plates 23-26. Goring started the drawing of the present work in 1911, but decided on 31 March 1911 that she could not complete it, finding "some parts most intricate. especially the key pattern" (correspondence in the Wellcome Collection, ref. WA/HMM/CO/Ear/341). Thompson then asked a second artist, Helena Meals, if she could finish it. She agreed, but on 7 June 1911 wrote that she was unable to do so, owing to pressure of work and illness (WA/HMM/CO/Ear/604). It is not clear whether she had worked on the picture. She recommended a third artist, Erina Kenna (subsequently Crossley), who, after meeting Meals on 10 June, visited C.J.S. Thompson on 13 June 1911 to take over the work, and presumably finished it (WA/HMM/CO/Ear/462)
