Trompe l'oeil. Letter Rack with a Barber-Surgeon's Instruments 1668

Cornelius Norbertus Gijsbrechts painted “Trompe l'oeil. Letter Rack with a Barber-Surgeon's Instruments” sometime in the mid-17th century. This was a period marked by the rise of the Dutch Republic and its burgeoning mercantile class. The "Trompe l'oeil," or "fool the eye," style, was favored for its ability to showcase the material wealth and intellectual sophistication of its patrons. Gijsbrechts, however, introduces another layer to this display with the inclusion of barber-surgeon’s instruments. This hints at the era’s complex relationship with medicine and the body. Letters, quills, and sealing wax suggest a world of communication and trade, yet the stark presence of surgical tools—often associated with pain—disrupts the harmony. Gijsbrechts challenges us to consider the pain, labor, and very real human bodies that underpinned the era’s prosperity. The artwork is a reminder of the complex tapestry of life in the Dutch Golden Age, where commerce and science intersected with the visceral realities of the human condition.