Beyond ‘A Clinical Lesson at La Salpêtrière’: a brief assessment of André Brouillet’s other paintings on medical subjects, life, and times

Abstract

André Brouillet’s (1857-1914) famous group tableau ‘A Clinical Lesson at La Salpêtrière’ (French: Une leçon clinique à la Salpêtrière) is possibly the most celebrated painting in the history of neurology. His depiction of one of Jean-Martin Charcot’s legendary “Tuesday Lessons” includes portraits of not only one of the master’s most famous patients, but also of his pupils, the heirs to the founder of modern neurology. However, the painter himself has long been neglected, and even his other paintings on medical subjects are little acknowledged. The authors aim to bring attention to Brouillet’s life and times, as well as the remainder of his notable works; and in giving a proper context to the famous painting, neurologists today may be able to appreciate better the early history of our field and its cultural impact.