Drie voeten 1820 - 1826

Jean Augustin Daiwaille made this lithograph, titled 'Three Feet', in the Netherlands. At first glance, it appears to be a straightforward study of human anatomy, perhaps for use in an art academy. But we have to ask, what does it mean to isolate and display these feet? In a society marked by strict social hierarchies, the representation of feet, often associated with the lower classes and manual labor, takes on a particular resonance. Is Daiwaille simply producing a study, or is he making a subtle commentary on the social body? To delve deeper, we might explore archival records from Dutch art academies of the period. Who was being trained, and to what end? How did the study of the human body reinforce or challenge existing social norms? Ultimately, understanding this lithograph requires us to consider the social and institutional contexts in which it was produced and consumed.