Portrait of George L. by John Miles

This picture is taken from a series of portraits of patients at the Royal Edinburgh Asylum, undertaken in the 1880s by John Miles. These portraits are of interest for several reasons. They are an example of patient art, only a small portion of which has survived from 19th century asylums. In addition, John Miles was both a professional artist and a patient at the Morningside institution. His portraits provide an insight into the patients' world: their appearance, demeanour, posture, clothing and their surroundings in the asylum. It is not clear how Miles's pictures came to be made. The portraits all have clinical information appended which suggests that asylum doctors were involved in the process at some point. Were the portraits produced for educational purposes? They were too small, being postcard-sized, to be used in lectures, but perhaps they were intended to illustrate a textbook of mental diseases, or as a visual record of the patients at the Royal Edinburgh Asylum. This portrait is of George L., who was admitted to the REA on the July 22nd 1867. He was single and of no occupation. No age was given. His diagnosis was “Epileptic Imbecility”. The Asylum doctor wrote that the patient: “Has been insane all his life”. He was considered suicidal and dangerous. His brother reported that George had always been of weak mind and that he had been epileptic for the last 8 years, being violent and excitable after his fits. The case notes recorded: He is fond of music, & constantly plays on the violin – before an epileptic seizure he breaks everything within reach his violin included. When well he is very good natured.

He continued to have fits and became progressively enfeebled. Latterly he was unable to work in the Asylum. He died in 1893 of “Epilepsy – 34 years. Pneumonia 3 days”. John Miles, himself, was admitted to the Royal Edinburgh Asylum on the 21st May 1881, suffering from “melancholy”. He was then 59 years old, married and described as a “Portrait Painter”. On October 16th 1882 he was discharged “Recovered”.

Picture credit: Lothian Health Services Archive. GD 16.

George L. case notes: LHB7 51 18. p. 349. John Miles case notes: LHB7/51/38. p.157.

Beveridge A, Cunynghame D. “A bruised reed shall he not break”: John Miles's portraits of patients at the Royal Edinburgh Asylum. J R Coll Physicians Edinb 2021: 51: 298-301; 414-421.

I am grateful to Dr Louise Williams, Archivist, Lothian Health Services Archive, Centre for Research Collections, Edinburgh University Library for her help and for giving permission to use this image.

We are always looking for interesting and visually appealing images for the cover of the Journal and would welcome suggestions or pictures, which should be sent to Dr Allan Beveridge, British Journal of Psychiatry, 21 Prescot Street, London, E1 8BB, UK or bjp@rcpsych.ac.uk.