Drafting tools belonging to Hortense Douglas

Douglas’ skilled hand shaped some of the early medical illustrations connected to the Montreal General Hospital. Her early watercolours already demonstrated a keen eye for anatomical detail, but her precision and technique would deepen significantly following her studies at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore.

Among these tools is a small mechanical holder still gripping a tiny pencil nub—evidence of the careful graphite sketches that formed the base of her work. These preparatory drafts were later transferred onto specialized surfaces for advanced medical illustration techniques, such as carbon dust shading and stippling, reflecting her transition from gifted amateur to highly trained professional.