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Illustration of a brain by Hortense Douglas for Dr. Wilder Penfield at the Montreal Neurological Institute, 1934

Black and white medical illustration showing bird's-eye view of a neurological operation. Signed and dated at the bottom right of the illustrated area.

Wilder Penfield Fonds, Osler Medical Library, McGill University

This medical illustration was created by Hortense Douglas during her time working with Penfield. It presents a curious case of a resolved, signed and dated illustration with an added cross-hatched shape below the signature. It is unclear if this addition was done after the fact, and what the relation between the two shapes is. Their distinctly different mark-making certainly presents an interesting example of Douglas’ process.