An Abbot-Saint Restoring a Blind Man's Sight 1729 - 1742

Editor: This print, “An Abbot-Saint Restoring a Blind Man’s Sight,” is by A. Claude Philippe de Thubières comte de Caylus. It really strikes me as a commentary on power, with the Abbot-Saint centrally positioned. What do you see in this piece? Curator: It's interesting you see it that way. I see it as a study of social dynamics and the ways in which art can reflect and reinforce hierarchies. Who gets to see, who gets to heal, and who gets remembered? Consider the composition; it centers the Abbot-Saint as an almost divinely appointed figure, but what about the blind man and his community? How are they represented, and what does that tell us about the artist's own social positioning and intentions? Editor: That makes me think about the gaze – who holds it and who is subjected to it in the artwork. Thanks! Curator: Exactly! By questioning the representation of power and disability, we can better understand the print’s message and its role within broader conversations about privilege.