Art as Applied to Medicine:

The First Program of its Kind…

At Johns Hopkins, medical illustration began with the arrival, in 1894, of Max Brödel, a young German artist from Leipzig, Germany. He had illustrated for Carl Ludwig in the famous Institute of Physiology at the University of Leipzig. There Brödel met American scientists who were studying under Ludwig. Later, one of these, anatomist Franklin P. Mall, urged young Brödel to join him at the new Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland.

Circumstances altered plans and upon arrival in Baltimore Brödel was quickly employed by Howard A. Kelly, Chief of Gynecology, as his illustrator for a two-volume textbook, Operative Gynecology. Other books followed, some with co-authors, on subjects as diverse as the vermiform appendix and diseases of the kidneys, ureters, and bladder. Aside from texts, journal articles, and monographs, Kelly and Brödel united in their efforts to advance the state of surgery and health care in America, especially in diseases of women. When time permitted, Brödel illustrated for other Hopkins physicians and surgeons, expanding his knowledge of anatomy, pathology, and physiology.

Medical illustration with all of its communication components and continually-evolving production technologies remains a vital discipline at JHMI. Faculty and students in this program are committed to continuing education in the medical sciences. We welcome the partnership with physicians, surgeons, and all other providers of medical and health care information to advance global medicine.

Our Centennial: Celebrating 100 Years

Art as Applied to Medicine, the first Department of its kind in the world, was endowed by Henry Walters in 1911 with Max Brödel as its first Director. This became the defining moment when the profession of Medical Illustration was established. Brödel arrived at Hopkins 17 years earlier in 1894 and from the beginning he realized that what he had embarked upon was something very new and different. In July of 2011 we presented a full day and evening of activities. We invite you to view the celebration of fellow medical illustrators, colleagues, friends and Hopkins alumns in a fun and informative reunion. Here at Hopkins we are on the dawn of exciting scientific, medical, and communication technologies but still teaching the “art” of our profession. Our one-day celebration not only takes a look at the historical past but address the advances along the way and try to project the future of the profession and the skills all of the graduate programs we will be teaching in the next 100 years.

A catalog of A Century of Medical Illustration is now available as a print-on-demand book. This 358 page, hardbound, full-color catalog features the artwork of the Johns Hopkins Centennial Exhibition, celebrating 100 years of teaching excellence in medical illustration. It is available online at Blurb.com. Content was compiled by the Centennial Committee at Johns Hopkins and the book was designed by Zina Deretsky. No proceeds are being made on its sale.

In Memorium

Howard Bartner

1931 - 2018

Howard Bartner was a renowned medical illustrator and part-time faculty member in the Department of Art as Applied to Medicine for over 50 years. From 1963 until his retirement in 2000, he served as Chief of the Medical Illustration section at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), earning numerous awards for his clear and didactic illustrations.

Howard’s career began with a BFA from Temple University’s Tyler School of Fine Art in 1953, followed by a BS in Education in 1954. After teaching art in Philadelphia, he met Ranice Crosby, Director of the Medical Illustration program at Johns Hopkins University, who encouraged him to pursue the necessary sciences. Howard completed the prerequisites and was admitted to the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in 1955. He earned his Certificate in Medical Illustration in 1957, and joined NIH in 1958.

In 1962, after the retirement of Annette Burgess, Ranice invited Howard to teach Ophthalmological Illustration at Johns Hopkins. Howard balanced his NIH work with teaching and later returned to the MBI program as a student, earning his MA in 1969. His thesis, Simulated Eye Models for Instruction in Indirect Ophthalmoscopy and Sclera Depression, won the Ralph Sweet Award and was published in Archives of Ophthalmology.

Over his career, Howard taught Ophthalmological Illustration to more than 200 students at Johns Hopkins, from 1962 to 2011. In recognition of his contributions to the field, he received the Ranice W. Crosby Distinguished Achievement Award in 2000. The medallion, inscribed by Ranice, read “Ideal Medical Illustrator and Alumnus.”

In 2011, Howard was honored with the Max Brödel Award for Excellence in Education by the Association of Medical Illustrators for his nearly 50 years of teaching. That same year, he was named Associate Professor Emeritus. His influence lives on through his students, many of whom have become educators themselves. Howard’s legacy continues in the work and teachings of his students and alumni, reflecting his exceptional skill, dedication, and kindness as an educator.

Betty J. Blumenthal

1917 - 2006

Elizabeth "Betty" Blumenthal was a medical sculptor and member of the faculty of the Department of Art as Applied to Medicine for over 53 years. In her professional work, Betty designed and fabricated sub-dermal implants for patients with birth defects, deforming injuries, or recovering from cancer surgery. For more than three decades, notable plastic surgeons sought her skills for their patients.

Betty was a 1933 graduate of Western High School in Baltimore. She studied drawing at the Maryland Institute College of Art and later studied at the Schuler School of Fine Art in Baltimore. In early 1943 when Ranice Crosby became the Director of the Department of Art as Applied to Medicine at Hopkins, Betty was director of the Photography unit at Johns Hopkins Hospital. They had been working together on an obstetrics book for Dr. Nicholson Eastman, so when Ranice decided to add photography to the curriculum, Betty was an excellent choice to teach the course. She taught photography for several years, and in 1944 added moulage (molding and casting body parts) to her instruction duties. Her love for medical sculpture came from her training in medical art at the University of Maryland under Carl Dame Clark. In 1946 The Sunday Sun Magazine (of The Baltimore Sun newspaper) had an article on the department at Hopkins and quoted Betty as saying "when she got a chance to work at the Hopkins, she knew that dreams do, sometimes, come true."

Her knowledge of prosthetics and medical sculpture has been passed on to a lengthy legacy of medical illustrators. Students, including Mary Ann Shumate, Gerald Hodge, and John Cody in the 40's; Al Teoli, Neil Hardy, and Herb Smith in the 50's; and Tim Hengst, Mark Miller, and Juan Garcia in the 70's 80's and 90's, all gained knowledge from her instruction. Her skills in patient casting and prosthesis sculpting made her a valuable asset in our department. Her teaching was a precursor to the Facial Prosthetics clinic operating in our department today. Always poised and smiling, Betty was a lovely presence in our department for many years.

Annette S. Burgess

1899 - 1962

Annette Smith Burgess came to Johns Hopkins in 1923 and studied with the founding director of the Department of Art as Applied to Medicine, Max Brödel for three years. Under his rigorous tutelage, she perfected her technique to become one of his greatest pupils. In 1926 at the behest of Dr. William H. Wilmer, she became a full-time Ophthalmic Illustrator with the Wilmer Institute.
Annette Burgess painted and drew practically all of the illustrations that appeared in the various medical publications of the Wilmer Institute. She became the foremost painter of the ocular fundus and also a world-renowned ophthalmic artist. Annette Burgess’ work was marked by her accuracy of observation, her meticulous attention to detail, her absolute honesty in depicting pathological lesions, and her uncompromising refusal to include any lesion not actually present in the particular eye under examination. Her honesty, integrity, and loyalty were highly regarded by her colleagues, admirers, and friends. She served the Institute until her retirement in 1962.

Randy Brown

1950 - 2009

Phillip "Randy" Brown made invaluable contributions to our department for twenty years. As a dedicated teacher, he shaped the education of medical students, residents, and fellows. Randy was highly respected as an animal clinician, often called upon for complex surgeries and consultations at Hopkins. He enhanced our curriculum through teaching surgical techniques, serving as a preceptor for thesis projects, and actively participating in student critiques. His expertise and passion made him well-liked and respected by both students and faculty alike.

Veterinarian and Surgeon

Randy Brown earned his Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from the University of Georgia in 1975 and a Master’s in Experimental Surgery from McGill University in 1980. After completing a surgical residency at Tufts University, he joined the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine faculty in 1987. He also earned an MBA from Johns Hopkins in 2007. Randy held a joint appointment in the Division of Comparative Medicine and Department of Surgery, co-directing the Minimally Invasive Surgical Training Center. His expertise and contributions were recognized with the Ranice W. Crosby Distinguished Achievement Award in 1993.

Diplomacy through Medicine

Col. Randy Brown joined the 175th Medical Group in 1997, leading humanitarian missions to Belize, Peru, and later as Medical Commander in 2003. He provided medical support during Hurricane Katrina relief and led missions to Bosnia, Herzegovina, and the Rosebud Sioux Reservation. In recognition of his service, he was awarded the Maryland Distinguished Service Cross. Through the Defense Institute for Medical Operations, he taught trauma systems and disaster response to military and civilian personnel in countries like Pakistan, Chile, and Colombia. He conducted environmental assessments in Uganda, Cape Verde, and Ghana and assisted in flood disaster relief in Bangladesh.

In addition to his teaching, Randy had a distinguished military career, starting as a Public Health Officer in 1981. He was mobilized for Operation Desert Storm in 1991 and led a humanitarian mission to Honduras after his deployment. Randy’s passion for learning, teaching, and improving global medical capacity left an indelible mark, making the world a better place.

Ranice W. B. Crosby

1915 - 2007

Ranice W. Crosby, Professor and Director Emerita of the Department of Art as Applied to Medicine, illustrator, writer, archivist, and venerated teacher died on February 18, 2007.

Ranice arrived at Hopkins in 1937 to study medical illustration under Max Brödel. In 1943, she became the first woman to direct a department at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, serving as the Director of the Department for 40 years until she stepped down in 1983. As Director Emerita, she continued to teach in the department for another 22 years.

A founding member of the Association of Medical Illustrators (AMI), she contributed to the development of our profession and led it to the successful establishment of accredited graduate programs. Under her leadership, the instructional program in Medical and Biological Illustration was elevated to a graduate level degree in 1961. She was honored by the AMI in 1987 as a recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award. In recognition of her dedication to teaching and significant contributions to the field of medical illustration, Johns Hopkins University conferred the honorary degree Doctor of Humane Letters upon her in May 2002.

She has inspired and encouraged her students to become the finest members of the profession. The Ranice W. Crosby Memorial was held on Friday May 18, 2007.

Marjorie Gregerman

1934 - 2023

Marge Gregerman was a medical illustrator and a member of the faculty of the Department of Art as Applied to Medicine for two decades, from 1972 to 1992. Born in Weymouth, Massachusetts, Marge and graduated magna cum laude from Tufts University with a BA in biology. She also studied at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston prior to her training in medical illustration at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. She was the sole student to graduate in the class of 1959, two years prior to the awarding of a master’s degree from our program in 1961. Marge possessed a remarkable sense of color and design, and an excellent command of the English language. She taught courses in illustration, visual concepts and communication, media reproduction, graphic design, and design of instructional programs. She also team-taught operating room sketching and surgical illustration and served as the research thesis advisor to nine of our graduate students. Marge served as the Director of Admissions of our graduate program for over a decade. Behind her gentle, warm smile was a beloved faculty member who was smart, creative, and wise. Marge shared her design inspiration and command of didactic illustration to a generation of graduate students. She will always be an important part of the history of the Department of Art as Applied to Medicine.

Gary P. Lees

1943 - 2024

Gary Lees, a distinguished medical illustrator and educator, was born in Houston and earned his B.S. in zoology from Tulane University in 1966. After studying fine arts briefly at the University of Houston, he pursued a master’s in biological and medical illustration at the University of Michigan. Following his graduation in 1969, Lees worked at Letterman General Hospital before joining Johns Hopkins University in 1970, where he became an integral part of the Department of Art as Applied to Medicine.

He advanced through the ranks, serving as department chair from 1983 until 2017, and as director of the graduate program from 1983 to 2013. Under his leadership, the department transitioned from traditional hand-drawn illustrations to digital media, ensuring its continued prominence in the field. Lees also contributed to significant ophthalmological exhibitions and illustrated numerous medical textbooks.

A certified medical illustrator since 1993, Lees received multiple accolades, including the AMI Lifetime Achievement Award in 2003. He is credited with educating over 225 students and contributing more than 100 illustrations to academic publications. In 2019, Johns Hopkins honored him with the Ranice W. Crosby Distinguished Achievement Award for his transformative leadership and contributions to the field.

Neil O. Hardy

1929 - 2018

After earning his BFA from the Maryland Institute College of Art in 1955, Neil Osgood Hardy studied under Ranice Crosby at Johns Hopkins University, focusing on medical illustration to combine his passions for art and biological sciences. In 1958, he earned a Certificate in Medical and Biological Illustration.Upon graduating, Hardy moved to New York City, where he started a medical illustration department at the Eye Bank for Sight Restoration at Manhattan Eye and Ear Hospital. He also began a freelance medical illustration business. In 1962, he transitioned to full-time freelance work from his home in Westport, Connecticut.

Throughout his career, Hardy worked with numerous clients, including Modern Medicine, The New York Times, Scientific American, Reader’s Digest, Esquire, Hospital Practice, The American Journal of Nursing, and Stedman’s Medical Dictionary, among others. A career highlight was his collaboration on the book A Guided Tour of the Living Cell by Nobel Laureate Dr. Christian de Duve, for which he received the AMI Best Medical Book Award. He became a pioneer in illustrating submicroscopic landscapes and DNA's molecular structure.

Hardy’s passion for medical illustration extended to education. In 1983, he was appointed Assistant Professor in the Department of Art as Applied to Medicine at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, where he taught Business Policy for the Medical Illustrator from 1983 to 2003. In 2000, he was promoted to Associate Professor.

Among his professional achievements, Hardy received the Ranice W. Crosby Distinguished Achievement Award (1991) and the Brödel Award for Excellence in Education from the Association of Medical Illustrators (2003). He was also the AMI President (1982-83) and the inaugural AMI Fellow (1988).

Hardy’s legacy includes a deep commitment to both his craft and to nurturing the next generation of medical illustrators. His contributions were celebrated with the AMI Lifetime Achievement Award in 1997.

Leon Schlossberg

1912 - 1999

During a career that spanned six decades, Leon Schlossberg dedicated his enormous talent to one of his true passions: the understanding of living, functional anatomy. He was an illustrator in the Department of Surgery and an educator in the Department of Art as Applied to Medicine at the Johns Hopkins University until his death in 1999. Leon inspired countless physicians, surgeons, and students throughout the world with his elegant portrayals of surgical techniques.

Leon exemplified the province of the medical illustrator learned from his teacher and mentor, Max Brödel. Brödel's unique media use and approach to visual presentation inspired Leon in each piece of work he created. His illustrations are respected for their anatomic accuracy, ability to educate, and creativity. In his most famous work, The Johns Hopkins Atlas of Functional Anatomy, his dedication to the teaching ideals of Brödel is perhaps best reflected.

Leon's creativity was also expressed in the creation of several three dimensional medical products. The most renowned was "Mr. Bones", an 18-inch scale model of the human skeleton introduced in 1961. For many years "Mr. Bones" was most financially successful item carried by the Johns Hopkins University Press - even making an appearance on NBC's Today show in 1974!

Leon Schlossberg was referred to as "the Dean of Medical Illustrators" because of his wide range of knowledge and tenure in depicting surgery and anatomy. He considered his collaboration with some of Hopkins' finest surgical pioneers equal to his work with graduate students of medical illustration. He approached each venture with the firm belief in the value of the illustration. In turn, he garnered the respect of friends, students and colleagues the world over.