HUMANITIES | PROFILE Portraying Maude Abbott n Cite as: CMAJ 2017 February 21;189:E281­3. doi: 10.1503/cmaj.160976 portrait of eminent Canadian physi­ Mary Alexandra Bell (1864–1951),2 who later Medical Association Journal during World cian Maude Abbott (1869–1940) has became an accomplished Canadian artist War I. According to Abbott been identified at least 66 years working under her married name, Mrs. C.H. afterA it was painted by Canadian artist Mary Eastlake. In 1936, Eastlake painted a now­ “... nearly everyone we cared for [i.e., her McGill Eastlake. This article recounts its discovery, familiar portrait of Abbott in her red doc­ University physician colleagues] went across. My part was of course to carry on at home, and I identifies the sitter as Abbott, and compares toral gown, which was reproduced on a was given the Acting Editorship of the Canadian this painting to the iconic Eastlake painting Canadian 46­cent postage stamp in 2000 Medical Association Journal, and did my best to of Abbott made familiar to millions on a (Figure 1).7 This portrait hangs in the Strath­ keep it from going under during that troubled Canadian postage stamp. Although the and short­handed time.”2 acquisition of the painting by McGill Univer­ sity (Montréal) in 2006 was mentioned Abbott and another colleague succeeded briefly in the Osler Library Newsletter,1 a founding CMAJ Editor Andrew MacPhail, more detailed accounting is lacking. who enlisted at the beginning of the war and Abbott, a trailblazer for women in Can­ was on active service in Europe through ada, became a world authority on congeni­ 1918.8 Perhaps unfairly, MacPhail never tal heart disease and a leading medical actually resigned, and therefore Abbott was museum curator.2–6 Along with physicians never given the title of Interim Editor. She such as Frederick Banting, Wilder Penfield was widely considered simply to have and Norman Bethune, she is one of the most “capably administered” the journal until internationally recognized Canadian phys­ 1919, when she was succeeded by its second icians of the 20th century.4 Although ac­ Editor, A.D. Blackader.9 claimed worldwide during her lifetime, it Abbott undoubtedly had an important was only after her death that she was recog­ effect as editor, because the journal was nized at home.3,4,6 only three years old when she took its reins, Abbott’s career was highly improba­ and she guided it through the entire war. ble. She was raised by her maternal In honour of the centenary of Abbott’s grandmother in Saint Andrews East, Que­ © 2000 Canada Post Corporation role at CMAJ (and of women gaining the bec. Her education was primarily home Figure 1: Postage stamp bearing the portrait of right to vote in western Canada), it is timely schooling, but she was begrudgingly Maude Abbott by Mary Eastlake (reprinted with to recount the tale, including new details, of allowed to go to Montréal for her last year permission © 2000 Canada Post Corporation). the lesser­known painting. of high school, where she excelled. In In 2006, another Eastlake portrait of 1885, she received the first Arts scholar­ cona Anatomy and Dentistry Building at Abbott was discovered by pathologist Erik ship given at McGill University, where she McGill University. Larsen of Calgary, an avid art collector. He was admitted in the second year that Abbott was refused entry into McGill noticed an Eastlake painting for sale in the women were allowed to enrol. According Medical School, because its policy was not window of Masters Gallery Ltd. in Calgary (it to Abbott, to admit females. Instead, she entered med­ was part of a Bell­Eastlake collection pur­ ical school at Bishop’s University in 1890. chased by the gallery in 2005 from a private “Had it not been for this happening, I should After graduating, Abbott became curator of collector in Swansea, United Kingdom) (Fig­ probably not be here today, for an Arts educa­ the McGill Medical Museum, and cofounder ure 2). Because the sitter in the portrait was tion for a girl was at that time considered a quite unnecessary luxury and it was exceedingly diffi­ of the International Association of Medical not recognized by the sellers, it was simply cult for me to be spared a second year from Museums as well as co­editor of its journal. called An Old Woman. Larsen found the sub­ home.”2 As the association and its journal thrived, ject strangely familiar. He began reading Abbott became recognized as an expert in about Eastlake and learned that she was a Initially, Abbott had not considered a all aspects of medical museum work. childhood friend of Abbott, had married career in medicine. However, she decided As an experienced editor and with many English artist Charles H. Eastlake, and had to apply to medical school following a con­ men serving overseas, Abbott was invited to painted the portrait of Abbott that was versation with her childhood best friend, serve as the acting editor of the Canadian reproduced on the Canadian stamp. PB CMAJ | FEBRUARY 21, 2017 | VOLUME 189 | ISSUE 7 © 2017 Joule Inc. or its licensors © 2017 Joule Inc. or its licensors CMAJ | FEBRUARY 21, 2017 | VOLUME 189 | ISSUE 7 E281 Larsen became convinced that the “old woman” in the painting was Abbott. To be sure, he showed it “blindly” to med­ ical historian James Wright, who con­ firmed her identity. Both considered buy­ ing the painting; instead, Larsen contacted Richard Fraser, current director HUMANITIES of the Maude Abbott Medical Museum at McGill University, who suggested that the university purchase the work. The gallery owner, when made aware of the identity of the old woman, offered to sell the por­ trait at a reduced price, because it was important historically and would be placed in an institution. Richard Fraser and Abraham Fuks (former Dean of Medi­ cine at McGill University) arranged for its purchase and donation to the Osler Library of the History of Medicine at McGill University, where it now hangs. The portrait depicts Abbott as an older woman in a grey blouse and beaded neck­ lace against a bright blue and green back­ drop. Like the 1936 image, Abbott is shown from the chest up, her face turned slightly to emphasize her direct gaze and provide a full view of her face. The 1936 portrait is a more finished work that high­ lights Abbott’s professional identity: the richly painted sheen of Abbott’s crimson doctoral robes emphasizes her profes­ sionalism and elevated educational sta­ tus (as well as Eastlake’s prowess with the brush). In contrast, the Osler Library por­ Osler Library of the History Medicine, McGill University, Montréal, Que. trait provides a more personal glimpse of Abbott. Leaning forward with rounded Figure 2: Mary Alexandra Bell Eastlake, Portrait of Maude Abbott, no date, oil on canvas, 20 × shoulders, Abbott is shown in a serious 17 inches (reprinted with permission). yet intimate light. There are no material signs of her medical status, although her representing figures of power and authority, as “one of our leading Canadian artists grave expression and the dark circles portraiture signifies status, identity and like­ today.”2 Eastlake studied with leading art­ under her eyes suggest intelligence and ness. Most portraits are the product of ists in Montréal, New York and Paris, was a hard work. Unlike many famous 19th­ and exchange between an artist and sitter in member of prestigious art groups and 20th­century portraits of physicians that which an image is produced through their exhibited her work internationally. Unlike use dress, setting, medical tools and/or joint decision­making. many of her female contemporaries, partic­ the sitter’s pose to construct medical No sources to date have been found ularly those associated with the Beaver Hall identities, this smaller image shows that address the circumstances surround­ Group, Eastlake was not known for her por­ Abbott as a composed woman rather than ing the creation of this portrait. However, traits. However, the two portraits of Abbott an expert at work.10,11 Because the por­ the relationship between Abbott and East­ are similar in style to her other paintings, trait was not commissioned for a medical lake is documented: they were childhood such as those depicting mothers and institution or shown at one, the sitter’s friends, and both shared an interest in pur­ children. connection to medicine is not visibly evi­ suing advanced educations, ambitious Although the portrait’s rough brush­ dent. Thus, it is not surprising that the careers and international reputations — strokes and purposeful exposure of painting went unnoticed for so long. uncommon for women at the time. unpainted canvas suggest a quickly ren­ Portraits play a crucial role in forming the In her autobiography from 1928, Abbott dered painting — a rough sketch made of a public persona of the person portrayed in credited Eastlake for encouraging her to friend — Abbott’s imposing form and seri­ them. As an artistic genre with a history of pursue a medical career and described her ous expression exhibit a pared­down, mod­ E282 CMAJ | FEBRUARY 21, 2017 | VOLUME 189 | ISSUE 7 CMAJ | FEBRUARY 21, 2017 | VOLUME 189 | ISSUE 7 E283 ern monumentality suitable for a 20th­ Richard Fraser MSc MDCM 4. Waugh D. Maudie of McGill: Dr. Maude Abbott and the foundations of heart surgery. Oxford (UK): HUMANITIES century medical pioneer. Furthermore, the Director, Maude Abbott Medical Museum, Dundurn Press; 1992. artist’s attention to portraying Abbott’s McGill University, Montréal, Que. 5. Adams A. Designing the medical museum. In: likeness through a detailed rendering of her Annmarie Adams PhD Schrank S, Ekici D, editors.