Patiënten lijdend aan de huidziekte 'epithelioma rodens' en 'epithelioma superficiale' before 1881

This is a pair of images of patients suffering from skin diseases, specifically 'epithelioma rodens' and 'epithelioma superficiale'. The black and white photographs are mounted in what appears to be a medical text. The artist, who remains anonymous, utilizes a stark, clinical composition. The subjects are presented with an almost detached objectivity. Shadows and light create a dramatic, if unsettling, contrast, drawing our eye to the afflicted areas. There is a play between the two-dimensional surface of the photograph and the three-dimensional reality of the human face. This raises questions about representation and perception. The work destabilizes traditional notions of beauty and aesthetics, forcing viewers to confront the often-unseen aspects of human suffering. It also intersects with broader cultural and philosophical questions about the body and mortality. The clinical gaze, as presented here, becomes a study in both pathology and human vulnerability.