Janet Rowley
National Portrait Gallery
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
- GUID (Link to Original Record)
- http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/sm4b9460f42-6394-4f6c-9c2b-a4bd644745d7