Turkse tandentrekker 1734 - 1771

This engraving, Turkse tandentrekker, was created by Nicolas Gabriel Dupuis. The image has a clear structure with horizontal lines of the window frame cutting across the soft, rounded form of the arched window and the figure within. Note how the composition directs our eyes to the tooth-puller. His gaze, directed slightly off-center, holds our attention, while the tools of his trade—the box, instruments, and extracted tooth—form a still life that underscores the performative aspect of his profession. The lines and shading seem to play with semiotic codes of exoticism. The tooth-puller’s turban and the suggestion of the ‘Orient’ tap into stereotypes, while the professional attire adds to the character's complexity. The artist creates an atmosphere of ambiguity. The play of light and shadow, the meticulously rendered textures, and the overall composition contribute to a discourse on authenticity and deception, questioning the fixed meanings of identity and profession.