Amputation: A Dramatic Act

A talk on a stolen 18th-century oil painting of a dramatic amputation, with museum access beforehand.

Dawn Kemp, Director of Museums at the Royal College of Surgeons of England, tells the story of an oil painting stolen from the Hunterian Museum in the 1980s and recently recovered. The painting shows a man undergoing a leg amputation in an 18th-century operating theatre, and Dawn's talk sets out new evidence on who is depicted, where the scene took place and why it matters, tracing links between medicine, the arts, theatre and the nobility in 18th-century London. Ticket holders are welcome to visit the Hunterian Museum from 5.30pm to 6.45pm before the talk begins at 7pm. This is a grown-up history talk likely to appeal to anyone interested in medical history, true crime art stories or the history of surgery.

Happening at

Hunterian MuseumFree anatomy museum with real specimens from John Hunter's collection, better suited to older kids than toddlers.London · Free entry · accessible toilet · baby change · blue badge parkingSee full listing →