Kwakzalver 1660

Giuseppe Maria Mitelli created this intriguing drawing, titled "Kwakzalver," likely in the late 17th or early 18th century. The image presents a traveling salesman or 'quack' doctor, someone who peddles dubious cures and remedies. During Mitelli's time, the line between legitimate medicine and charlatanism was often blurred, reflecting both a lack of scientific understanding and deep social inequalities in access to healthcare. It also reflects the place of the Commedia dell'Arte in popular culture. Mitelli’s choice to depict this figure might be seen as a commentary on the credulity of the public, but could also serve to highlight the desperation of those who were excluded from proper medical treatment. Consider the social and economic contexts that would drive someone to seek the services of a ‘kwakzalver’. What does it say about the period's attitudes towards health, class, and trust? This piece invites us to reflect on how little some things change, and on our own vulnerabilities when faced with uncertainty and hope.