The Tooth Puller (plate 15) 1843

Curator: This lithograph, "The Tooth Puller (plate 15)" by Charles Jacque, created in 1843, offers a stark glimpse into 19th-century medical practices in France. It is now part of the collection here at The Art Institute of Chicago. Editor: Ouch, it's wince-inducing just to look at! The tension created by the sharp lines and shading really amplifies the sense of discomfort. Curator: Indeed. Consider the context. Medical care wasn't standardized. Quackery was rampant. The print, part of a larger series satirizing societal types, reflects a deep mistrust of the medical profession. Note the backdrop—it hints at a dingy, unregulated clinic, far from our clean, modern experience. Editor: The composition definitely guides our eye to the struggle between patient and dentist. The puller’s face is a grotesque mask of concentration, while the patient strains with every visible muscle. And I think there is another blurred man standing next to them? He seems out of focus. Curator: That specter behind, he’s barely formed, probably alluding to how one becomes insensible to these procedures; he adds another layer to this biting satire on health and charlatanism. What's compelling is the democratization of the caricature through printmaking at that period. It makes these commentaries on professions affordable. Editor: Absolutely, lithography allows for broad distribution. It amplifies its message. But speaking of composition, I find the lighting intriguing. There is a contrast created between light and darkness that focuses our eyes to their faces during this dramatic situation. Curator: What intrigues me is how the scene resonates even today. Healthcare anxieties haven't vanished. We still grapple with access and the sometimes dehumanizing aspects of medical encounters, even as the tools and knowledge have changed radically. Jacque uses his craft to spotlight a perennial power dynamic. Editor: Thinking about line and shadow—Jacque's choice to prioritize it helps this to still feel impactful despite all those years since it was produced. Curator: A potent reminder that anxieties surrounding medicine—its cost, access, and potential for abuse—are enduring social themes. Editor: A grimacing but illuminating look, then, at how certain human experiences never seem to fully fade, only evolve in form.