Keisnijder 1650 - 1800

Editor: This print, *Keisnijder*, probably dates sometime between 1650 and 1800. It's an etching, engraving, and drypoint. The overwhelming mood is one of discomfort, if not outright pain. What stories do you think this work has to tell? Curator: Well, at first glance, the visceral expressions are captivating. But beyond that initial reaction, I think it's crucial to consider the broader social implications and question what exactly we are looking at here. Consider how healthcare disparities manifest across class and gender in different eras, which invites questions about access, agency, and vulnerability. Editor: So you're suggesting we look beyond just the immediate scene? Curator: Exactly. Think about the historical context. Who had access to proper medical care? How might this scene reflect broader societal anxieties about health, well-being, and bodily autonomy? Who is inflicting this apparent pain on another? This is where power comes into play and invites a critical conversation of its nature and manifestations. Editor: That’s interesting, because my first instinct was just to think about how unpleasant it must be to get a cyst removed that way! Curator: I understand that initial response. But art can serve as a lens through which we examine not only the past but also our present. Does seeing a print like this make you consider your own experiences or assumptions regarding the current health care system or maybe cultural norms around the experience of feeling unwell and needing care? Editor: Definitely. I'd never considered it beyond the surface level before. Thanks! I'll look at art differently now! Curator: Likewise! Art’s power is in its ability to encourage continual questioning and re-evaluation.