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"Bossey or Bossey was, according to [Henry] Angelo, who calls him a German, the last of the itinerant quack-doctors who practised and dispensed medicines on a stage. His real name is said to have been Garcia. Reminiscences, i. 102, 414 ; J.T. Smith, Nollekens and his times, 1920, p. 255"-- British Museum, Catalogue, loc. cit.

1 print : etching, with watercolour ; platemark 14.8 x 17.5 cm

Doctor Bossy, an itinerant medicine vendor, selling his wares on stage with the aid of assistants. Coloured etching by W. Birch, 1792, after A. van Assen.

The Dictionary of National Biography states that Daniel Lambert was "the most corpulent man of whom authentic record exists". He was born in the parish of St. Margaret in Leicester on 13 March 1770. After taking over his father's post as Leicester gaoler in 1791, his size and weight started to increase enormously. By 1793 he weighed 32 stone although he was very strong and active, only drank water, and slept for less than eight hours a day. In 1805 he resigned his post at the prison to turn his amazing stature to profit by exhibiting himself all over England. He died in Stamford at the Waggon and Horses inn on 21 July 1809 weighing 739 lbs. See further L. Fiedler, 'Freaks', New York 1978, pp. 128-129

1 print : etching ; platemark 17.6 x 11.3 cm

Daniel Lambert, weighing almost forty stone. Etching by A. van Assen, 1804, after J. Parry.

Doctor Bossy, a medicine vendor, selling his wares to a crowd of sick and lame people at Covent Garden, London. Pencil drawing after A. van Assen.

On the sitter see Dictionary of National Biography
For sitter see: L. Fiedler 'Freaks', New York 1978, p.p. 110-111

1 print : etching ; platemark 20.9 x 12.3 cm

Patrick O'Brien, a giant. Etching by A. van Assen, 1804, after J. Parry.

Doctor Bossy, an itinerant medicine vendor, selling his wares on stage with assistants at Covent Garden, London. Etching by W. Birch, 1792, after A. van Assen.

1 print : etching ; platemark 14.6 x 11.4 cm

Toby, a man who pretended to be blind and lame. Etching by A. van Assen, 1804, after J. Parry.

1 print : etching ; platemark 11.5 x 15 cm

Doctor Bossy, an infamous medicine vendor, selling his wares to a crowd of sick and lame people at Covent Garden, London. Etching, 1795, after A. van Assen.

Medical Heritage Library

The British dance of death, exemplified in a series of engravings from drawings by Van Assen : with explanatory and moral essays / from drawings by Van Assen.

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Doctor Bossy, an itinerant medicine vendor, selling his wares on stage with the aid of assistants. Coloured etching by W. Birch, 1792, after A. van Assen.

Daniel Lambert, weighing almost forty stone. Etching by A. van Assen, 1804, after J. Parry.

Doctor Bossy, a medicine vendor, selling his wares to a crowd of sick and lame people at Covent Garden, London. Pencil drawing after A. van Assen.

Patrick O'Brien, a giant. Etching by A. van Assen, 1804, after J. Parry.

Doctor Bossy, an itinerant medicine vendor, selling his wares on stage with assistants at Covent Garden, London. Etching by W. Birch, 1792, after A. van Assen.

Toby, a man who pretended to be blind and lame. Etching by A. van Assen, 1804, after J. Parry.

Doctor Bossy, an infamous medicine vendor, selling his wares to a crowd of sick and lame people at Covent Garden, London. Etching, 1795, after A. van Assen.

The British dance of death, exemplified in a series of engravings from drawings by Van Assen : with explanatory and moral essays / from drawings by Van Assen.

Doctor Bossy, a medicine vendor, selling his wares to a crowd of sick and lame people at Covent Garden, London. Pencil drawing after A. van Assen.

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Doctor Bossy, an itinerant medicine vendor, selling his wares on stage with the aid of assistants. Coloured etching by W. Birch, 1792, after A. van Assen.

Daniel Lambert, weighing almost forty stone. Etching by A. van Assen, 1804, after J. Parry.

Doctor Bossy, a medicine vendor, selling his wares to a crowd of sick and lame people at Covent Garden, London. Pencil drawing after A. van Assen.

Patrick O'Brien, a giant. Etching by A. van Assen, 1804, after J. Parry.

Doctor Bossy, an itinerant medicine vendor, selling his wares on stage with assistants at Covent Garden, London. Etching by W. Birch, 1792, after A. van Assen.

Toby, a man who pretended to be blind and lame. Etching by A. van Assen, 1804, after J. Parry.

Doctor Bossy, an infamous medicine vendor, selling his wares to a crowd of sick and lame people at Covent Garden, London. Etching, 1795, after A. van Assen.

The British dance of death, exemplified in a series of engravings from drawings by Van Assen : with explanatory and moral essays / from drawings by Van Assen.

Doctor Bossy, a medicine vendor, selling his wares to a crowd of sick and lame people at Covent Garden, London. Pencil drawing after A. van Assen.

Stay in the know

Wellcome collectionWellcome Collection

Finding us:

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Wellcome collection