De zieke vrouw c. 1860 - 1900

Johannes Arnoldus Boland created this print, "The Sick Woman," using etching. It reflects a period of significant transformations in the understanding of health and disease. Boland, working in a time when modern medicine was beginning to take hold, presents a scene steeped in earlier traditions, where the doctor is a figure of authority but seems somewhat powerless against the woman's ailment. The etching captures the vulnerability of the sick woman and also highlights the social dynamics and gendered roles of the time. The woman is confined to her bed, a domestic space, while the doctor is an active, authoritative figure. What strikes me most is the emotional weight of the piece. Boland invites us to consider the personal and social dimensions of illness, reminding us of the shared human experiences of suffering, care, and mortality.