Artwork
The Doctor
The Doctor is an oil painting by the Impressionist artist Luke Fildes. It dates from 1896 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery.
About this work
The Doctor is a painting by Luke Fildes. It's an oil paint work from 1891.
The painting depicts a Victorian physician observing a child's illness. This scene has been used to show the values of a good doctor and the problems with the medical profession at the time.
You can learn more about the artist who created this work, Luke Fildes.
Overview
The Doctor is a painting by Luke Fildes, created in 1891 using oil paint. It portrays a poignant scene of a Victorian doctor attending to a critically ill child.
Subject & Meaning
The painting depicts a doctor focused on a child's illness, with the parents watching anxiously from the side. It has been interpreted as representing the ideal qualities of a physician and highlighting the shortcomings of the medical profession during that era.
Technique & Style
Fildes' composition is notable for its simplicity, omitting typical medical equipment to emphasize the doctor-patient relationship.
History & Provenance
The painting's origins are linked to Fildes' personal experience of losing his son, which likely influenced the work's emotional depth and authenticity.
Artist & collection
Artist
Sir Samuel Luke Fildes (3 October 1843 – 28 February 1927) was a British painter and illustrator born in Liverpool and trained at the South Kensington and Royal Academy Schools. He was the grandson of the political activist Mary Fildes.
