Top View of a Child’s Fontanel | Anatomical Study of Human Skin and Nail 1737

Editor: This is Jan l'Admiral’s "Top View of a Child’s Fontanel | Anatomical Study of Human Skin and Nail" created in 1737. It’s a watercolor and mixed media drawing on paper. I find the almost clinical detachment a bit unsettling, considering the subject matter. What’s your take on this? Curator: Unsettling is a great word for it. Imagine being l’Admiral, peering so closely at the ephemeral, the vulnerable. He wasn’t just documenting; he was engaging with the mystery of human development. Look how he's meticulously rendered the texture, the almost paper-thin fragility. Does it strike you as scientific, or something more... contemplative? Editor: Contemplative is interesting. It feels objective, yet that focus suggests something beyond pure observation. The subdued colours add to that, maybe? Curator: Exactly! The colours drain away the vibrancy of life. It speaks of the era's fascination with dissecting, understanding the body, but perhaps with a hint of melancholy too. The Baroque loved drama, but even scientific illustration couldn't escape the shadow of mortality, could it? Editor: That's true. I hadn't thought of it that way, as a sort of *memento mori* for infancy. Is that overreading it? Curator: Perhaps a little dramatic, but all readings are valid as it depends on us, doesn't it? Maybe l'Admiral saw a fragile promise, knowing what time inevitably takes away. Thank you! It is also true that this piece seems so much more emotionally intricate now. Editor: I agree. Seeing it through that lens really adds another layer to the work. It makes me appreciate how art, even seemingly clinical art, can hold such unexpected depth.