William Harvey (1578–1657) is famous for his discoveries concerning the circulation of the blood. The painting shows an imaginary scene in which Harvey is demonstrating to Charles I his theory of the circulation of the blood. In the painting the doctor is the dominant figure. He stands taller than the seated king, and is brightly lit by a lamp. In contrast, the face of Charles I is mostly obscured by shadow. When depicted, a king would usually dominate a painting. The reversal here emphasises Harvey’s role as Charles I’s personal physician, as well as the importance of Harvey’s discoveries for the history of medicine. Harvey originally studied the arts at Cambridge University, but after graduating he moved to Padua, Italy, where he studied medicine with the famous teacher Fabricius.