Spotprent over de toelating van vrouwen tot de medische colleges, 1872 1872

Curator: Editor: So this is a drawing from 1872 entitled "Spotprent over de toelating van vrouwen tot de medische colleges, 1872," which I understand translates to “Cartoon about the Admission of Women to Medical College." It looks like a pen drawing on paper by Johan Michael Schmidt Crans. It feels like a staged scene. What symbolic weight do you see in this work? Curator: Well, let's consider the obvious contrast: the weary, imposing male professor versus the elegant, seated female student. Notice the skeleton lurking in the background? It’s a memento mori, a symbol of mortality, traditionally used to remind us of the brevity of life. In this context, however, could it be used to represent established medical traditions facing challenges by a "new life," embodied in the admission of women? Editor: That's fascinating. It definitely reads as more than just a professor with a student. It seems the artist imbued the cartoon with the anxieties and perceived challenges facing the male-dominated field. The woman's attire stands out compared to the professor's clothing. How does clothing function symbolically here? Curator: Indeed. The professor is clad in simple attire and projects conventionality. Her garments look softer, and with more frills, perhaps connoting a perceived softness associated with women that makes them unsuitable. Now, consider this alongside the historical context; in 1872, the very idea of women in medicine was radical, challenging societal norms and power structures. Clothing could be seen to reinforce this view. Is it a symbol of modernity encroaching upon tradition? Editor: I think so. The dialogue at the bottom references something lost in translation about baking – suggesting maybe that a “masculine baker” would be expected to prepare the recipe of how medical training might go forward? Curator: Exactly! The art is deeply rooted in cultural anxiety. By representing those anxieties through easily understood visuals and symbolic dialogue, the artist ensures a lasting message about gender roles. Editor: I've definitely learned a lot by seeing the layered meaning hidden in what initially seemed a straightforward piece. Thanks so much!