Karikatuur van professor Gerrit Moll, ca. 1835 1830 - 1840

This caricature of Professor Gerrit Moll, made around 1835 by the brothers Van de Weijer, presents us with a telling scene of scientific exchange. The two figures in the image extend their hands toward one another, yet the precise meaning of this gesture is what intrigues me. The hand gesture, seemingly an offering, echoes across centuries. We see it in ancient Roman depictions of concordia, or agreement, and later in Christian iconography symbolizing peace. Yet, here, the context shifts to the sphere of science. Is it an exchange of ideas? A challenge? Or perhaps a parody of formal academic interactions? Consider how such gestures can be laden with collective memory. The extended hand may unconsciously evoke the idea of partnership. The artists play with our collective subconscious. This is not merely a handshake; it is a carefully constructed image laden with cultural echoes, reminding us that even in science, human interaction is steeped in historical and emotional resonance.