Bacterial endocarditis of mitral valve and aorta in a 62-year old man with congestive heart failure: sections of heart to show (a) vegetation on aortic valve and (b) ulcerated aortic cusps. Watercolour by Barbara E. Nicholson, 1952.

Ashford, Middlesex, 1952.

1 painting : watercolour, with gouache ; sheet 15.7 x 31.1 cm

Barbara Evelyn Nicholson (1906 – 1978) trained at the Royal College of Art, graduating in 1923. She began her artistic career as a medical illustrator and was a founder member of the Medical Artists Association, where she is recorded as serving on an exhibition committee in October 1949. By 1951, she had illustrated G.F. Gibberd, A short textbook of midwifery (2nd ed., London: J. & A. Churchill, 1941) and Philip Wiles, Essentials of orthopaedics (London: J. & A. Churchill, 1949). The Medical Artists Association records last list her, in 1951. In the 1950s her focus moved to botanical subjects and from the late 1950s – 1970s she was a prolific botanical illustrator.

Aortic valve, r<ight> atrium, l<eft> atrium from in front and above, probe in hole in ant<erior> cusp of mitral valve, l<eft> auircle, anterior cusp of mitral valve pulled in the direction of arrow, vegetation on aortic valve, wall of l<eft> ventricle from below, probe, right ventricle Lettering inscribed in black ink as key, typed accompanying note with patient history includes his profession as an actor. Examinations revealed gross signs of aortic regurgitation, many purpuric lesions and anaemia Bears number: 283/1952

The watercolours and pen and ink drawings held by Wellcome Collection were painted by Barbara Nicholson at Ashford Hospital, Ashford, Middlesex, between 1946 and 1951, at the request of the surgeon Norman Matheson.

Wellcome Collection 34500i

Presented to the Wellcome Institute Library in 1987 by Ashford Postgraduate Medical Centre, as part of a collection of medical illustrations by Barbara E. Nicholson.