De geneesheer 1675

This etching, titled 'De geneesheer' or 'The Physician,' was made by the Italian artist Giuseppe Maria Mitelli in the late 17th century. It presents a fascinating glimpse into the social and cultural perceptions of medicine and doctors during that time. The image creates meaning through visual codes that would have been easily understood by Mitelli’s contemporaries. The physician, with his spectacles and voluminous coat, stands amidst the tools of his trade: books of Galen and Avicenna, a writing desk, and medicinal implements. These details locate the physician within a tradition of learned knowledge, yet the print’s satirical tone suggests a critique of medical authority. Made in Bologna, this artwork comments on the social structures of its time, particularly the role of the medical profession. To fully understand this print, we can consult period medical texts, social histories, and institutional records. Art becomes a historical document, reflecting and commenting on the society that produced it.