What Sir Luke Fildes' 1887 paintingThe Doctorcan teach us about the practice of medicine today

The Doctor (1887, The Tate Britain, London) is the enduring image of the Victorian GP and is frequently used to portray the qualities of a good doctor to this day. This image of the ideal, dedicated doctor has appeared in many and different settings and can be found in almost any context in our contemporary culture when considering the qualities or shortcomings of the medical profession. This article looks at the context of Fildes' painting and asks if it is an accurate representation of historical reality. This leads to a consideration of the status and attributes of a doctor in contemporary society and what we may learn about this from a study of Fildes' painting.