New York surgeon and respected artist (whose oil painting of a women's Olympic relay race graced the cover of the Spring 1990 issue of P&S), died at age 82. Professor of surgery emeritus at Mount Sinai and former director of surgery at the Hospital for Joint Diseases, Dr. Wilder divided his time in the prime of his career between wielding a scalpel in the morning and a paint brush at night. His split career began when one of his patients, the actor and sometime painter Zero Mostel, who had been hit by a bus and on whom Dr. Wilder performed several operations, advised him to start painting to relieve stress. Largely self-taught, Dr. Wilder soon began showing his work at galleries and museums, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the National Portrait Gallery in Washington. Three books of his paintings were published. He was especially known for his renditions of athletes and surgeons. Dr. Wilder ardently believed that health professionals had to expand their humanistic horizons and cultivate untapped talents. A quote follows to that effect.
P&S 24 (Winter 2004) P 36