Known as 'Cony' to his collegues, Sir John Conybeare (1888–1967) was a well-respected and liked physician: ‘his name always set off a train of happy memories of enterprises and escapades, reputable or otherwise, but always colourful’. Conybeare was involved with Guy’s Hospital, London, for most of his career. He was the warden of Guy’s College for 14 years, and in 1946 he was elected a governor.

Conybeare served in both World Wars. He was awarded the Military Cross for his courage at the Somme in the First World War, and after the Second World War he was made a Knight of the British Empire. Conybeare also edited and partly wrote the 'Textbook of Medicine', published in 1929, which became so popular that it ran to 13 editions.

The portrait was painted by Alfred Neville Lewis, a South African artist who was born in Cape Town and educated at the Slade School of Art, London.