Modern Miracle Worker

This photo resides in the medical library at Toronto Western hospital. The subject is Dr Robert C. Laird, with photograph by Yousuf Karsh. Dr. Laird is portrayed in the same manner as praying saints, as seen in paintings by Caravaggio and Zurbaran. In Christian iconography, "books in the hands of of saints show they where well educated in the Scriptures." Similarly, the book in this photo signifies the doctor's learning. His glance is not directed toward Heaven, rather into some dim future, yet the feeling is still that of a memento mori, a painting genre that reminded one of one's mortality.

Here is an example of memento mori by Zurbaran.