'The Anemic Lady' 1660 - 1678

Samuel van Hoogstraten painted 'The Anemic Lady' sometime in the mid-seventeenth century using oil on canvas. The image captures a moment of medical consultation, which was increasingly common among the Dutch bourgeoisie at this time. The painting offers insights into the cultural and social history of medicine during the Dutch Golden Age. We see not just a doctor examining a patient, but also a display of wealth and domesticity, complete with refined interiors and a pet cat. The doctor’s tools and solemn demeanor indicate a society increasingly invested in scientific methods, but it is important to remember that medicine at this time existed alongside older traditions. Historians studying this painting will be able to deepen their understanding of period medical practices and social values through period documents such as medical treatises, household inventories, and even literature. The artwork's true value lies in how it reveals the complex interactions between science, society, and individual experience.