Probably the most famous and admired physician in Europe in his lifetime, Mayerne worked in Paris before his appointment as principal physician to James I in 1611. His patients included members of the royal family and most of the court. He was knighted in 1624 and his appointment was renewed by Charles I. A practising experimental chemist and friend of artists, he wrote an important manuscript describing the media and techniques of contemporary artists. His most significant medical legacy was a huge quantity of detailed diagnostic notes.
Mayerne's costume, a red robe like a Roman toga, suggests associations with classical antiquity and particularly with the learning of ancient Rome. The inscription around the painting, now partially lost, refers to his position as physician to James I and Charles I, and to his title as seigneur of Aubonne, a property he bought in Switzerland