The apparent revival of a dead man by galvanism. Drawing attributed to G.M. Woodward.
- Woodward, G. M. (George Moutard), approximately 1760-1809.
- Date:
- [between 1700 and 1799]
- Reference:
- 673640i
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- Online
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Description
Two men express astonishment as a young man sits up from his bed, apparently stimulated by an object tended towards him by a third man. Another man hiding behind the bed pushes the young man upwards with his palm against the young man's back
Publication/Creation
[between 1700 and 1799]
Physical description
1 drawing : pencil, with grey ink ; sheet 18 x 21.2 cm
Lettering
Galvanism or the dead alive. Folly as it flies. Making us fools of nature so horribly to shake our dispositions with thoughts beyond the reaches of our souls
"Making us fools of nature [...]": a paraphrase of Shakespeare, Hamlet, act I, scene iv, "What may this mean / That thou, dead corse, again, in complete steel, / Revisits thus the glimpses of the moon, / Making night hideous, and we fools of nature / So horridly to shake our disposition / With thoughts beyond the reaches of our souls?"
Alexander Pope, Essay on man, epistle i, v. 13 "Eye Natures walks, shoot folly as it flies, / And catch the manners living as they rise; / Laugh where we must, be candid where we can, / But vindicate the ways of God to man"
References note
Richard Palmer and Jean Taylor, The Hunterian Society: a catalogue of its records and collections relating to John Hunter and the Hunterian tradition with a history of the Society, London: Hunterian Society, 1990, pp. 175, 244
Reference
Wellcome Collection 673640i
Type/Technique
Languages
Subjects
Where to find it
Hunterian Society deposit no. 1991-128/598 (H000/598)
Location Status Access Closed stores