Gezicht op de Saint-Antoine-des-Quinze-Vingts 1631 - 1661

Israel Silvestre created this etching, titled ‘View of the Saint-Antoine-des-Quinze-Vingts’, in the 17th century. The scene depicts the Quinze-Vingts hospital, an institution founded in the 13th century to care for 300 blind knights, located in Paris. Silvestre’s image invites us to consider the social function of art and architecture. It's difficult to say whether this image is conservative or progressive. The hospital was a powerful religious institution, but there was growing social and political interest in welfare at this time. Perhaps by depicting this prominent building, Silvestre was trying to highlight social issues of the time. What's more, by capturing a view of the building from the outside, Silvestre is taking on the role of an outsider, someone who observes the scene from a distance. To understand this image further, we might investigate the history of the hospital itself, but also consider the social and economic context of 17th-century Paris. After all, art always exists within a specific context.