Edward Harris

Artist: Studio of Rembrandt Peale; Oil on canvas

Edward Harris was a doctor in Baltimore City in the early 1800’s. He had offices on Baltimore Street between Howard and Eutaw Streets, from at least 1810 to 1818.

This painting was a gift of Mrs. Robert Sloan, great-great granddaughter. She thought that Dr. Harris was a founder of the Medical & Chirurgical Faculty, but there’s no record of him even being a member of MedChi. She also thought that the portrait was by Rembrandt Peale. The portrait hung in MedChi’s Annapolis office from 1997 to 2010(ish).

In 1817, Dr. Harris bought a house in Queen Anne's County on Maryland's Eastern Shore. He is mentioned as "a physician in Baltimore," but there's not much other information. His will, dated March 17, 1835 is also mentioned.

There is a secretary desk in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York that was originally owned by Dr. Edward Harris and was given to them. The information they have is as follows: Dr. Edward Harris, Queen Anne's County, Maryland to Severn Teackle Wallis, Baltimore, from ca. 1886 to his niece, Mrs. James Fortescue Giffen, Baltimore to her daughter, Mrs. Louise Giffen Fishburn, Baltimore, until 1934 when it was acquired by the Metropolitan.

The Edward Harris painting is listed in the 2002 Sotheby’s Registry as being attributed to Rembrandt Peale, but with no name given for the sitter.