Fred Harwin collection

Collection

Identifier: 2022-014

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The vast majority of this collection consists of original illustrations by Fred Harwin.

Series 1 includes roughly 350 original illustrations for the Manual of Cardiac Surgery. Each individual work of art consists of at least four layers; including a mylar cover, tissue protector, and artwork, all atop a Ray-Board or Illustration board. The figures are arranged by size and by the chapter in which they appeared in either the first or second edition of the book.

Series 2 and 3 include original illustrations (black & white, color, pen & ink, and more), many mounted on sketch-board. Included are a broad variety of anatomical illustrations (skeletal and organ), and associated relevant surgical procedures and implantable devices. Many were created upon request from faculty at OHSU to facilitate instructional procedures. Other illustrations were used as figures in articles or other published works. Additionally, one prosthetic eye, painted by Harwin and donated separately to OHSU, is included here as an example of his more recent work.

Series 4 includes illustrations completed for commercial purposes for companies like W. L. Gore, 3M, CIBA, and others. The purposes were to demonstrate the application of a commercial medical product from the perspective of the surgeon. Included are meshes, sutures, valves, constrictors, and other physical devices in their application. Some copies of the corporate marketing, advertising, and training material for which the illustration was created are included.

Series 5 includes general records, such as biographical information and collection descriptions from the book dealer, Montgomery Rare Books and Manuscripts. Many article reprints, which demonstrate illustrations from this collection, are included along with a significant number of reviews for the Manual of Cardiac Surgery.

Dates

Creation: 1965-2022

Creator

Harwin, Fredric M. (Person)

Conditions Governing Access

There are no restrictions on access. This collection is open to the public.

Conditions Governing Use

OHSU Historical Collections & Archives (HC&A) is the owner of the original materials and digitized images in our collections, however, the collection may contain materials for which copyright is not held. Patrons are responsible for determining the appropriate use or reuse of materials. Consult with HC&A to determine if we can provide permission for use.

Biographical / Historical

Fredric (Fred) Harwin attained a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Wayne State University in 1964, focusing in interior architecture, drawing, and painting. He then went on to receive his Master of Science degree in medical and biological illustration from the University of Michigan in 1967. After completing school, Harwin served as the Director of Medical Illustration at Wayne County General Hospital. In 1969, Harwin joined the faculty at Oregon Health Sciences University (OHSU) in Portland, OR; he has taught at Portland State University and the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry; and was an Adjunct Professor of Medical Illustration at the University of California's San Francisco Medical Center. Harwin has servesd as an adjunct faculty member with the Department of Art as Applied to Medicine at The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and as an Advisor for the Center for Ocular Prosthetics in Portland, OR.

While at OHSU, Harwin, in his capacity as illustrator, collaborated with renown cardiac surgeons Dr. Brad Harlan and Dr. Albert Starr on the Manual of Cardiac Surgery, first published in 1980 with a second edition in 1994. This included placement of the famed Starr-Edwards heart valve, which was the first successful prosthetic device implanted in a human mitral valve and marked a new era in the treatment of valvular heart disease. The Manual was seen as a breakthrough in medical texts, being the first of the prevalent works on heart surgery to include color illustrations.

Harwin personally developed and practiced a technique he refers to as "Scientific Realism." His drawings include color accuracy to real body internals, the visual perspective and technique of the surgeon, the creation of the visual illusion of looking through superficial layers to the deeper structures, and visually instructional procedures for the successful completion of the surgery. The technique involves applying media to both sides of frosted mylar, with an interconnectedness of color and value. The bottom side of the illustrations were completed in a combination of colored pencil, graphite, carbon or pastels, while the top side was mostly airbrushed with water colors or gouache. The benefit of this technique is to allow the surgeon or medical student to "see" an organ as it will appear in the operating room, with all its subtle coloration, while at the same time allowing the eye to see through to where a patch, a suture, or a graft has been applied, allowing the observer to grasp the totality of the surgery, while being simultaneously alerted to the minute detail.

Fred Harwin retired from the Center for Ocular Prosthetics in December of 2019 and is currently painting full time in his studio.

Extent

4.59 Linear Feet (20 boxes)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

Fred Harwin is an artist, medical illustrator, and ocularist. He is well-known for illustrating the breakthrough medical text Manual of Cardiac Surgery with Drs. Brad Harlan and Albert Starr. The vast majority of this collection consists of original illustrations by Harwin, including those from both the first and second editions of that manual.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

This collection was purchased in 2022 with funds donated to the OHSU Foundation along with generous support from Dr. Richard Mullins.

Existence and Location of Copies

Some images from this collection have been digitized and are available in the OHSU Digital Collections.

Separated Materials

Multiple books were separated from this collection and cataloged into the HC&A book collections. Please review the OHSU Library catalog to access those volumes.

Volumes from this collection included: Manual of Cardiac Surgery, First Edition, 1980 (in 2 volumes) and Second edition, 1994, as well as German and Spanish editions; Illustrated Handbook of Cardiac Surgery, 1996, along with versions in Japanese and Portugese.