Janet Rowley

Artist

Jon R. Friedman, born 1947

Sitter

Janet Rowley, 5 Apr 1925 - 17 Dec 2013

Exhibition Label

Born New York City

Called “the matriarch in modern cancer genetics,” Dr. Janet Rowley was only one of six women in her graduating class at the University of Chicago medical school in 1948—an institution to which she returned as a full professor nearly thirty years later. After examining DNA replication of chromosomes throughout the 1960s—a period when the field was still developing—she observed that acute myeloid leukemia patients shared two specific chromosomes that had broken off and exchanged ends, what is now known as blood cancer chromosomal translocation. In recognition of this landmark discovery, Rowley was awarded the National Medal of Science in 1999, followed by the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

In preparation for creating Rowley's portrait, Jon Friedman made this oil sketch during an initial sitting. Rather than showcasing her scientific acumen during these sessions, Rowley presented herself informally, in a sunlit profile and smiling.

Credit Line

National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; gift of the artist

2012

Object number

NPG.2013.10

Restrictions & Rights

Usage conditions apply

Type

Drawing

Medium

Oil on gessoed paper

Dimensions

Sheet: 77 × 56.8 cm (30 5/16 × 22 3/8")

National Portrait Gallery

Topic

Janet Rowley: Female

Janet Rowley: Health and Medicine\Physician

Janet Rowley: Education\Educator\Professor

Janet Rowley: Science and Technology\Scientist\Biologist\Geneticist

Janet Rowley: Presidential Medal of Freedom

Portrait

Record ID

npg_NPG.2013.10

Usage of Metadata (Object Detail Text)

Usage conditions apply

GUID (Link to Original Record)

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/sm4b9460f42-6394-4f6c-9c2b-a4bd644745d7