Dr. William Davison, Scotch Chemist and Physician in Paris

Art Historical Context

This engraving by David Loggan captures Dr. William Davison, a Scottish chemist and physician active in Paris during the first half of the seventeenth century. Created as a modest plate measuring roughly six by four inches, the portrait presents in formal attire, reflecting his status as a respected medical and scientific figure who bridged British and continental European intellectual circles. The work belongs to the Rosenwald Collection at the National Gallery of Art, where it preserves the likeness of a man whose career exemplified the era’s growing exchange of medical knowledge across bord...