Menselijk oog met een afwijking 1836 - 1912

Editor: This is "Menselijk oog met een afwijking," or "Human eye with an abnormality," by Isaac Weissenbruch, dating from 1836 to 1912. It looks like an engraving or print, a very clinical-looking eye. There's an almost mechanical quality to the iris. What stands out to you about this work? Curator: The clinical nature you point out is very interesting. The eye, traditionally seen as a window to the soul, is here presented as a diagram, an object of study, almost as if divorced from the person it belongs to. Does that disconnect between the symbol and the actual representation affect your interpretation? Editor: Absolutely, it feels very detached, not like a portrait conveying emotion. More like… an anatomical study. Curator: Consider then the arrow beneath the eye. In symbolism, the arrow can represent direction, force, or even wounding. Here, positioned below a detached, almost diagrammatic eye, the arrow could suggest a directed gaze, an intent focus… or perhaps the infliction of an ocular "abnormality," as the title suggests. Does this shift your understanding? Editor: It does, that feels like the gaze is actively targeting something, and the "abnormality" could even be something inflicted, or perceived as inflicted. But why represent it in this way? Curator: It could reflect a growing scientific interest of the time, using images to classify and study anomalies. Or consider a cultural interpretation; are there ways eyes were seen in popular imagination at that time that inform it? Remember also, engravings often served to disseminate knowledge. Editor: I hadn’t thought about that, the informational purpose. It reframes my interpretation. Curator: Indeed. It seems both artistic and functional, inviting multiple interpretations. What remains with you now? Editor: That the symbolism coexists with scientific observation, a fascinating blend of art and instruction.