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A fascinating 1981 limited-edition portrait medallion of Scottish physician William Cullen (1710–1790), based on the work of celebrated Scottish modeller and gem engraver James Tassie (1735–1799). Measuring approximately 7” x 5” framed, the piece features Cullen in cream-colored relief against a deep green ground, surrounded by a substantial black oval frame.
The original Tassie portrait of Cullen dates to 1786; historic catalogues document Tassie’s William Cullen medallions, and Tassie became particularly well known for finely modeled portrait medallions of prominent Enlightenment figures. This particular example is especially interesting because the original label identifies it as No. 090 of a limited edition of replicas made by Museum Casts for the Tercentenary of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh in November 1981, with a presidential signature. Cullen was an important Scottish Enlightenment physician and teacher whose papers remain part of the Royal College’s historical collections.
The numbered edition, original institutional label, and direct connection to the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh’s 300th anniversary make this much more distinctive than an ordinary decorative cameo.
