A surgeon at Whitworth in County Durham letting blood from Thomas Thurlow, Bishop of Durham, but leaving his patient in order to attend to a sick horse. Coloured etching by H.W., 1791.

  • H. W., active 1791.
Date:
Jan.y 12 1791
Reference:
540803i
  • Pictures
  • Online

Selected images from this work

View 1 image

About this work

Description

Thurlow, Lord Bishop of Durham, sits, right, with blood pouring from his arm. The surgeon who has started to let blood from him, John Taylor, walks away from the bishop towards a horse, outside the door, which has a spavin (disease of the hock). In the background a framed print of Durham Cathedral. On the floor, a dropped and broken bleeding bowl, and a lancet

Publication/Creation

London (No. 50 Oxford St) : Wm. Holland, Jan.y 12 1791.

Physical description

1 print : etching, with watercolour

Lettering

The Whitworth d-r The groom says "Docter Docter, my masters horse has got the spavin." The doctor says "Who does he belong to? never saw such a beautiful creature in my life! What a neck! what a nose! what a magic eye! ...I'll go and dress him out of hand - What's a head of the church to the heels of a horse".

References note

British Museum, Catalogue of political and personal satires, vol. 6, London 1938, no. 7987 (attributed to unidentified artist with initials H.W., p. xxxi)

Reference

Wellcome Collection 540803i

Type/Technique

Languages

Where to find it

  • LocationStatusAccess
    Closed stores

Permanent link