Patiënt lijdend aan de huidziekte 'eczema cruris' before 1881

Curator: Here we have a gelatin silver print, its title in Dutch: Patiënt lijdend aan de huidziekte ‘eczema cruris’ or, translated, "Patient suffering from the skin disease 'eczema cruris.'" It's from before 1881 and attributed to Anonymous. Editor: My initial response is discomfort, verging on revulsion. The close-up and the black-and-white heighten the clinical, almost brutal, honesty. The textures… are quite visceral. Curator: Absolutely. The tight framing forces us to confront the textures, yes, but it’s also a crucial aspect of the image's formal structure. Note how the dark trousers contrast with the pale legs, creating strong vertical lines that lead our eye up to the seated figure. And then there is the off-center balance which makes for a somewhat unstable composition. Editor: Symbolically, the affected skin bears resemblance to maps. Could this symbolize internal struggles surfacing? Eczema as a visible manifestation of unseen imbalances? Curator: Perhaps. Or, at the very least, as a literal tracing of a pathological condition. Look, this wasn't created for aesthetic enjoyment. The clinical nature is intended as objective documentation. Editor: Yet, even within presumed objectivity, cultural perspectives seep in. How did 19th-century viewers perceive skin disease, for instance? What metaphors shaped their understanding of illness and the body? Eczema—with its etymological links to ‘boiling over’—suggests repressed emotions. Curator: Precisely, and the visual harshness underscores what, for some, might've represented a moral failing. This pre-dates germ theory and widespread knowledge about auto-immune conditions; a ‘diseased’ body could imply broader social anxieties. Editor: This image becomes an uncomfortable reminder. But even across centuries, the body remains a potent symbol of our fragility. Curator: Indeed. And visually, this medical record inadvertently compels a deeper structural study. Editor: A somber photograph that lingers, prompting considerations far beyond the surface.